Welcome to the black side
by Sunnyqueen
Summary: Allen never had a normal life: first he was a hobo, then he was picked up by his Master and they travelled around the world collecting information. So how was he supposed to be part of a clan, an organisation, go to school and act normal at the same time? His looks screamed 'weird' from miles away. M/M. Kind of supernatural.
1. Chapter 1

**I'm not really sure where did this come from, but I'm quite enthusiastic about it. Although I believe the reasons are that I wanted to experiment with new couples and to redeem myself for always Lavi a bad guy. And I also wanted to try new approaches.**

**I hope you'll like it! (It's set on the present time, didn't really fit much to another age setting)**

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><p>Allen was used to the stares and side-glances, he had lived being the centre of them his whole life but they seemed to increase when they arrived to London. Not that he could blame them, though; his appearance was strange for those who were not familiar with him: stark white hair pulled in a low ponytail, silver eyes, pale skin, the red mark on his left side of the face, his black arm and the golden monkey on his head.<p>

The man next to him was something else to: tall, vibrant long red hair, red eyes and the mask covering half of his face. The small glasses and the gun in his leg gave him a dangerous appearance. And he _was_ dangerous.

"Ah Shishō. We arrived." The boy said as he petted the monkey who had moved from his head to his forearm.

"Finally." The red haired man said as he opened the door. "Get the luggage, idiot apprentice."

"Yeah, yeah." The white haired said as he went to get the luggage that a friend so kindly left at the door of their new house. Once inside the house he threw his master his suitcases.

They had arrived in London that same morning but since they needed to take care of some stuff, they arrived at the house a few hours later than they were supposed to.

"Are you in the mood to go make a bit of money, idiot apprentice?" The tall man asked.

"My name is Allen." The boy replied, but one could tell he was not even trying to convince the elder. "But yeah, I want to know how good Londoners are at poker."

"Does it really matter where they are from?"

"Not really. But it's no fun if they are already bad." Allen replied, smiling darkly.

"Anyway, let's go." The red haired man said.

"Yeah, yeah. Tim! Let's go!" He yelled and the monkey settled down on his head once more.

Lucky for them, they were in the central part of the city, which meant that all the pubs, clubs and other night businesses where near their house which was a plus for Allen of he had to run and hide because of the people who lost to him. But that could also be applied to Cross and his runs because of his debts.

It was a plus for his Master if he found someone that would accompany him for the night. Although that could be also applied to Allen.

They entered the first one they found.

"What do you want?" The elder asked as they parted ways: one to the poker table, the other to the bar.

"Whatever you are having. And keep them coming, Shishō." Allen said smiling cheekily.

"You! White head!" The bouncer yelled and he stopped, turning around. "You are out!"

"What?" He groaned as he went to him, ignoring the whispers that surrounded him. As usual. "Why? If I must know." He said to the bouncer, who was easily three times his size.

"You are a minor." The bouncer said.

"And you had to recheck me to come to that conclusion?" He said as he turn to the general direction his master was. "Cross! Come tell this idiot on the door that I'm with you for god's sakes!"

"Why should I?" Came the reply from the red-haired man.

"Because you want _me_ to make money for _you _since you suck at that!" He yelled back, still ignoring all the glares and whispers.

Sighing, the redhead went to the door and looked at the bouncer. "He's with me, you got a problem with it?" He asked.

"He's a minor. And if he doesn't get out, I'll throw you too." He said and Cross narrowed his eyes.

"Alright. Allen, come here. I'm sure you can play poker somewhere else. They don't even have Romanée-Conti." He said as he nudged the boy to get out. "By the way, you just crossed the worst people you could have encountered." He said and Allen turned around, moving his hair to show the red mark in his face more clearly while Cross showed a mask-like that covered the right side of his face.

"Y-you! Please come inside!" He yelled but Cross only smirked.

"No."

"I didn't know! Please!"

"No." The elder repeated and then crossed the street and got into another pub.

It wasn't long until Allen was sitting at the Poker table, winning some, or better yet, a lot of money for Cross. He used to hate being treated like a money machine when he was a kid, but Shishō ended up not being a so bad person after all. He did take care of him since he was 5 so now at age 18 it was more like repaying him.

"Here you go." Cross sat down besides him, handing him a glass of scotch.

"Hey, you shouldn't give the kid alcohol. He is clearly underage." One of the men watching the game said, but shut his mouth when he saw the look in the redhead's face.

"I think I'm entitled to give him whatever I want as I am his father, am I not?" He barked and Allen shook his head.

"You are not my father, _Shish__ō_." The teen said, shaking his head and remarking the last word.

"Tch. Whatever." He ruffled the white hair. "Just finish quickly, idiot apprentice. We have a meeting tomorrow morning, remember?" He said.

"Yeah, yeah." He said as he sipped his scotch and leaned back against his Master.

It wasn't long until pupil and master were leaving, the boy with a rather large amount of cash and a little of jewellery, mostly rings and earrings, in a small backpack he always carried around for this.

Once they got home each one went to his room and when Allen was starting to feel uneasy because of the new place, Cross came in clad in just his pyjama pants. The younger was glad he decided to wear pants that night since his Master usually slept naked.

"Move." He said gruffly but Allen knew better than that after so many years besides him.

"Shishō?"

"Move. I know you don't like it when we go to new places." He said and the teen moved to the other side, letting the elder get into bed with him. Once the red hair was pushed to one side, Allen rested his head on the broad chest.

"Thank you, Shishō." The man growled, making his chest rumble and Allen pressed a kiss in there. "Good night."

"Night." Came the reply as one hand found white hair and opened a book to read for a while.

Since Allen was a child, he would not be able to sleep at night every time they moved to a new city, to a new hotel unless the elder slept with him at the beginning. Even after so many years he still found it hard. At the beginning, after Cross picked him up of the streets he would definitely be scared of the man mainly because of his short temper, but as years went by, Allen ended up facing him and eventually, _loving him_. Just as he loved the kid.

He didn't really know why he picked him up, he could have gone on with his life perfectly, but something in those silver eyes and hair made him stop and go back a few steps. But what got his attention was the mark in the child's face.

_So he's one of us._ He remembered thinking.

Now that he thought about it, he had picked up him because of that mark, but as years went by, he just forgot the first reason because it got masked by love and care. At first, he thought of the kid as a tool, but after he took a bullet for him at age 11, everything took a sudden turn and when he was tending the wounds of the kid back at Mother's house he realised he loved the kid and that he… that he didn't want to lose him.

Most people disapproved the relationship they had because it was abvious it was definitely more than a guardian-fosterling one. There was more physical contact, more trust and more love than in those: they trusted each other with their lives. And more importantly, they knew everything about the other, every little dirty secret, they new it. But they never cared about the rumours, the glances, the whispers, they had been surrounded by those for a lot time that they learned to ignore them.

"You are not reading." Came the soft voice from his chest.

"So?"

"I can't sleep with the light on and you know it." He grumbled and after Cross removed his glasses and put the book away the light was switched off.

"Happy now, idiot apprentice?" He asked.

"Yes. Thank you Marian."

"Don't call me that." He admonished softly.

"I've been telling you not to call me that shitty nickname you gave me for ages and you still do it."

"Not a nickname. The truth." He replied and Allen huffed before snuggling down again.

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><p>Next morning, when <em>Marian<em> woke up, he found Allen sleeping on top of him. Talk about old bad habits. Allen started to do that right after he had picked him from the streets, always saying he didn't like the cold and that he was warm. Without much ceremony he threw him out of bed, but the boy woke mid-air and stopped the fall by flexing his arms and turning in the air.

"That was mean."

"You got away with it, don't bitch." Cross said as he stood and accommodated his hair. "Your turn to make breakfast."

And Allen huffed as he pulled his hair in a low messy ponytail. "Tim! Let's go make breakfast!" The monkey chirped and hung himself onto Allen's extended arm, making the boy laugh.

"We need to be gone in two hours, alright, idiot apprentice?"

"Tell yourself that Shishō, you are the one who is _always_ late." The boy said and then ducked the pillow nimbly. "Anyway, is it going to be Chinese, Indian or Irish?"

"Let's go for Irish." The elder said.

While Allen made breakfast, Timcanpy set the table for three and Cross bathed and while Allen bathed, Cross did the dishes.

"I'm impressed, Shishō, only twenty minutes later: that's your new record." Allen said sarcastically as he sat down on the passenger's seat, Tim on his lap and eating an orange.

"I try." The elder replied, earning a huff in reply.

Half an hour later they arrived to a big mansion at the outskirts of the city.

"Is it me or every time we come back here this seems bigger?" Marian asked, cocking his head.

"That's what worries you? We, as usual, are the last ones!" Allen growled as he opened the door and let the small golden monkey run to a bit while his Master takes his time to lit a cigarette and straighten up his black and red coat.

"Are you done now?" Allen asked as he too put his own black and red coat.

"Yes. Let's go." He said and Allen followed him as he whistled to Timcanpy to go to him.

Cross knocked on the door (quite rudely). "Password." A voice said form the inside.

"Password my ass. Open up if you don't want to get a bullet between your eyes." The elder said.

Allen rolled his eyes and said the password "_Meldo, tula, yula yulma._" He hissed and then the heavy wooden door opened. "Forgive his manners." He said, not sparing even a glance to the butler as he said so.

The two men and the monkey made their way to the saloon where everyone was already gathered around a big hexagonal table. There were a total of seven people in the room: two couples, two singles and their host. Plus them, of course. That made a total of nine people.

"My, my, only 25 minutes late. You seem to be improving, Cross." A man with grey skin, long and slightly curly dark hair, golden eyes and a monocle said. The boy sitting next to him had white hair, just like Allen, golden eyes, same grey skin and covered his forehead with a white-n-black scarf. Sheryl and Wisely Kamelot. Allen hugged both of them briefly.

"Shut up, Sheryl. British way of driving is fucking confusing." He growled and Allen shook his head.

"Forgive his manners, _uncle_." He repeated as he sat down next to his Master and snatched his cigarettes away to prevent him of smoking inside the room and then crushed it.

"After so many years, one would think that Allen's manners would rub off on you." A blonde lady clad in a violet dress said. Next to her there was a brunette woman with a rather innocence face and dressed in a pink kimono. But everyone in that chamber knew better than believe in appearances.

"You would need more than a miracle for this to happen, Miss Eliade." The mentioned boy said as he stood up and went to the bar section to pour his master a drink, not wanting him to start a scene because it was the right liquor or because it wasn't served right. Once he had poured the red wine he served himself a glass of scotch. "Here." He said, giving his master the glass.

"Isn't it a bit earlier to drink?" A small man asked. He had one long light brown ponytail on the top of his head. Allen always thought that Mr. Bookman resembled a lot to a panda because of the black make-up around his eyes.

"You won't change them, Bookman. They have been drinking at these hours since always. Specially Cross." Another woman said: she was blonde too, a scar in her beautiful face and small white monkey in her shoulder. Miss Klaud Nine. She was alone. Seemed to be her partner couldn't make it.

"Anyway, if you have already finished talking about our friends bad habits here, I would like to start this meeting." Their host said. "So, let's start by attendance." "Bookman Clan." Bookman raised his hand. "Exorcists." Klaud raised hers. "Akuma." Eliade did too. "Noah clan." Sheryl and Wisely leaned forward. "Curse clan." Master and apprentice raised their, now empty, glasses. "Everyone seems to be here, today. For once." The man said as he shot a dirty look to Allen and Cross since they were always late. In case they even bothered to go to the meetings, which usually, they didn't. "All right, I reunited here today because I would like that everyone knows how are your statuses and your updates and see if we can complete some possible gaps. First topic is the drugs smuggling." There were a few sounds of approval and every one turned to look at the Exorcists side.

Allen sighed and leaned to rest his elbows on the table the moment he saw his master prop his feet on it. This was going to be a really loooooong day.

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><p><strong>So... This is it for now! I hope you liked it!<strong>

**Please review and tell me what you think about it!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hm... I don't even know how I got to write all of this that quickly. I amuse myself at time, seriously. Anyway, I'm not going to bore you with my speaking so get on reading and I hope you will like it!**

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><p>After the long, boring meeting in which Allen almost fell sleep but didn't since he had to give their report since his master so kindly <em>did<em> fall sleep out of boredom and he had to take notes too.

"Shishō, wake up already or I'm leaving your sorry ass behind." Allen growled as he pushed the chair down, making his master hit his head against the floor while the other's looked at them, blinking.

_What kind of relationship do they have?_ Everyone thought. Even the Noah clan members, who knew them the best, were always amused by how Allen would treat his master.

"What the hell idiot apprentice?" The man yelled as he stood up.

"Don't yell at me, it's your fault for falling sleep when you definitely shouldn't have." Allen said as he gathered all the papers and whistled for his monkey, who was playing with Lau Jimin, Ms. Klaud's own monkey. "And now get up, we need to go to the University and I do **not** want to be late again."

"You didn't care much about being late here."

"Yeah. Because they know we will always be late as long as you and I are together." Allen growled. "Now, let's go." He said and Cross followed.

"Are they always _this_ bad?" Eliade asked, looking at Sheryl and Wisely.

"Today was one of the _good_ days."

"How do you know?" Chomesuke asked.

"There weren't any bullets, knives or spells thrown." The white haired Noah replied, staring at his fingernails with boredom.

No one said anything at that, because seriously: _What kind of really fucked up relationship did they have?_

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><p>Allen and Cross were outside the principal's office waiting to be attended.<p>

"Do I really have to go to University?"

"Yes."

"But why? I have never gone to school! We don't have any records or papers about me." Allen hissed.

"And these times is when this and this" Cross said touching their curses "come in handy. Besides, you are studying music. You are good at that. Should be no problem for you to be part of the university community."

"Of course. Ignoring the fact that I have a curse mark all over my face, white hair aaaaand a black arm." He said.

"Please, calm down." Cross said. "Wisely is coming here too, Mikk is a teacher here and so is LuluBell and for what I know Road spends an awful lot of time here bugging Mikk so your family won't leave you alone." He said.

Road, LuluBell and Tyki were all part of the Noah clan. They weren't his real family, of course, but when he was younger, every time Cross had to go on a really important delivery in Europe, he would usually leave him with them, to the point that he was one more of the family.

The Noah clan was known for being a powerful clan of sorcerers. It was one of the biggest family clans around the world, with a total of 14 members, and Allen being a later addition, who had being introduced to their magic after they found out that he was able to cast spells too (thanks to his master, who was the one who introduced him to he world of magic). They had introduced him to the lineage via a secret ritual and he now also possessed the grey skin and the golden eyes that all members had, but unlike them, he could choose when to show them and when not. However, he was not considered a full member of the family since he was not related by blood to any of them.

"Couldn't I just stay at home as I always did? Most people my age work." The teen complained, huffing.

"And what would you exactly do, idiot apprentice? You have no idea of how to do a normal job."

Allen sighed, defeated, because he new Cross was right: all he knew hoe to do was being on the top chain of the black market commanders, specialized in the traffic of humans beings, human organs and exotic animals (that's how he got Tim in the first place, a present form Cross after a really important shipment of human organs arrived from China to England that he had handled due Cross being away), gambling, fighting (either hand-to-hand or with weapons, but with his arm he usually handled everything physically), casting spells and knowing his way with brothels.

"This is going to be a pain in the ass, isn't it?" He asked, leaning against his Master's side, resting his head in the side of his strong arm, ignoring the inquisitive eyes of the secretary.

"I believe so. You are not the only one who is going to have trouble: I have to go to every single meeting that is going to be held as long as we are in the country. Remind me again why are we here?" He asked in a growl.

"Because we need to know why the hell the fresh organs that we shipped have arrived all in a bad state." Allen growled back when the door opened and a man that reminded both Cross and Allen of Hitler, came out.

"Mr. Allen Marian-Walker." They stood up. Allen had adopted Cross' surname for various reasons, first one being that it made them less suspicious to the eyes of the society. He, however, kept the name he had gotten when he joined the Noah family from Nea Walker, the one he considered to be a real uncle for him as he was the one who taught him more things. Also Tyki, but it would look weird that a 25 years old was being called uncle by an 18 years old teen. Besides, Sheryl wasn't that old to have a 18 years old son.

The Hitler-like man looked at them quizzically. "Are you his father?"

"Adoptive." Cross replied as he sat down.

"Legally?" The man asked and Allen couldn't help but think it was extremely rude not to present himself.

"Of course." The red-haired replied as he stared at the Principal, who held his gaze for a few seconds and then nodded.

"So, Mr. Cross-Walker, what career would you like to pursue?"

"Music." He replied, his voice not wavering as he too held his gaze.

"I see. Are you aware that for starting mid-term you have to pay an additional fee?" Master and pupil shared a look.

"Money is not going to be a problem." Cross finally said, deciding that the clan could afford it easily. And if they refused, they could do the investigation themselves.

"Alright. Since the course has already started you'll have to take some of your mandatory lessons with different groups.

"That won't be a problem."

"Perfect then." He opened a drawer and pulled a stack of papers. "Bring them with the confirmation of the transfer. Bank number is in here." He said, pointing to the paper. "Now get the hell out." Once both men where at the door he said something that almost made Cross kill him right in the spot. "Fucking cursed men."

"What did you just say?" The red haired man asked as he spun around.

"Shishō let it go." Allen said as he put a hand in his forearm, his eyes narrowing as he looked to Hitler. "C'mon."

Marian followed him when Allen opened the door. "What an asshole." Allen grumbled.

"Should have let me shoot him right in the middle of his snake-eyes." The red-haired mentioned.

"That would have given away our cover." The white haired one said as he opened the door and petted Timcanpy, who was obviously very nervous for being away for his master for so long. "Sorry Tim." He said as he fished a cookie from his pocket and gave it to him.

Cross grumbled something as he drove back to their house. That afternoon had been filled with yells over the phone, lots of threats, swearing and a couple of broken glasses on both parts.

But the clan agreed to pay for the University after Cross told them that they either paid for it or Allen and he were dropping the investigation before they even started with it and were going to go in the run. Upon hearing that the Head's of the clan agreed to it, knowing how good they both were at that. Plus, there weren't many people in the clan that were as good as them.

Once the transfer was made and they got the confirmation by e-mail, Allen filled the papers.

"I need a drink." Cross stated and Allen nodded, standing up and following him, his precious pet in his head once more.

They went to a different pub that night: and while Allen was doing his usual cheating in the poker table and winning money to pay his master's debts that the clan refused to pay for Cross was playing pool and earning his share of money too: with his aim he would never lose.

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><p>When they went back home, they had earned at least 1,000 pounds. Night had been good. Once at home, Marian went to sleep with Allen again, kissing his forehead. It was highly unusual for him to do so, but Allen didn't mind at all, he didn't expect his master to be someone loving and caring, so those little demonstration of affection where more than enough for him.<p>

"Good night, Shishō." He whispered as he settled once more on the strong chest, placing a gentle kiss where his heart was beating.

"Night idiot apprentice."

"I'll debrief you tomorrow about the meeting."

"You do that." He combed the white strands, knowing it helped his idiot apprentice to calm down, however what the idiot apprentice didn't know was that it helped him to relax to.

He never really understood why, though: he hated to cuddle with those he would bring home or even, he hated to have physical contact unless he was flirting or fucking and used to get out of bed to take a shower once he was done, kicking them out (only if it was men) and if it was women he would let them stay over but he would not let them use him as a cushion, however he had no problem on letting Allen to use him as a pillow or to cuddle with him as he was doing right now.

Talk about trusting someone.

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><p>When Cross woke up next morning he found and empty bed. Strange. Allen liked to sleep until late. He stood up, a hand in his red mane. "Oi, idiot apprentice, where are you?" He asked and it was then that Tim jumped into his shoulder. "Hey boy, where's this idiot owner of yours?" He asked the monkey, petting him. Timcanpy then have him a paper.<p>

_Shish__ō__, I went to do groceries. Breakfast is ready._

_Allen._

Well, one thing was for sure, if the boy could ever find someone who would stay with him despite his job, the clan, his arm and his curse, he would be a perfect housewife. As he started eating his breakfast he couldn't hep but think that maybe he was being selfish by keeping Allen by his side, that maybe he shouldn't have picked him off the streets and that maybe he could have found a normal person who would have adopted him.

He remembered the one time he mildly suggested to him that maybe he shouldn't have had picked him up. Allen was around seven or eight, at that time. The flash of hurt, fear and desolation that crossed the child's face made him regret to have asked something like that. It took a whole week to convince Allen that he never meant that he didn't want him anymore by his side. What struck him to his bones, though, were the words he said the last day of the week, once Marian had been able to convince him that he was not going to abandon him: Cross was drinking in their room, thinking about this and that when a sleepy Allen came in, rubbing his eyes and without fearing the consequences of his actions (probably because he was half-sleep) climbed in his master's lap, rested his head on his chest and clenched his shirt.

"I like Shishō." He muttered and then fell sleep again.

"I'm back!" A voice interrupted his train of thought.

"Idiot apprentice, the breakfast was cold." He said, scowling.

"Yeah well, that's what happens when you don't get up when I tell you to, Shishō." The boy said, smirking.

Damn, where had the sweet little boy gone? Lately Allen was acting more like him and he was not entirely sure he could win a discussion with himself.

"Anyway, I'm going to bring the papers to the University. Are we going to go to the Harbour later?"

"Yes. And while you go to the University I'll go see around." Cross said.

"Alright. I'm taking the Aston." He said and ran out of the kitchen before his Master could say anything, Tin jumping from the redhead's shoulder to the whitehead's one. "I'll see you at lunch!" He yelled and received a grumble for an answer.

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><p>When he arrived at the University (two hours later than he had planned as he got lost over and over again) everyone stopped to see the person that would come out of the expansive car. And when they white haired teenager came out with his long white hair untied, perfect clothes, shiny leather shoes and the monkey in his shoulder, everyone started to mutter.<p>

"Wow, look at him, he's so hot."

"Yeah. But what's that on his face?"

"I don't know. A tattoo?" Allen was about to snicker at that. A tattoo. Yeah right.

"Shonen?" He spun around (well, he and almost everyone) to the owner of that voice.

"Ah. Tyki-pet." He said, walking up to the grey skin, dark haired golden eyed tailored man: another member of the Noah family.

"What are you doing here?"

"Need to give Hitler my inscription papers."

"Hitler? You mean Leverrier?" Tyki asked, laughing.

"I guess. He never said his name." Allen replied as he started to walk next to his relative.

"I didn't know you were coming here."

"Cross' idea. Says we need to 'act normal'." He said, making air quotes and huffing "And meanwhile he'll be going from club to club and form women to women."

"Anyway, it's not bad that you have interaction with more people than him and us."

"What for? It's not like I need friends or people talking about my looks." The teen groaned.

"Don't be so grumpy, doesn't suit you at all." Tyki said, nudging him. "When are you starting?"

"Tomorrow maybe. I don't know. I'll text you." He said and smirking evilly once he realised the murderous looks that all the girls were throwing at him, probably for talking with Tyki (because Tyki was a really sexy, hot man, everyone knew that) and leaned to kiss him on the cheek. "See you later, Tyki-pet!" He singsonged as he disappeared in the crowd, waving his hand over his head.

_That boy…_ The Noah thought as he went to his class, sighing and ignoring all the interrogative looks. _Damn Shonen._

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><p>Once Allen had delivered the inscription papers, agreed to start his classes the day after and finished discussing whether Tim was or was not allowed in the school (discussion he won after telling Hitler (as he had decided to call the Principal) that either Tim came or he would cast a spell on the whole school, it's students and staff) he called his Master.<p>

"**Are you done?"**

"Yes, Shishō."

"**Good. I'll wait for you at harbour number 17. Try not to get lost."** Allen growled at that. **"You already did?" **It was easy to see that he was amused at his apprentice bad orientation.

"Shut up." He hung up and went to the harbour. Once he arrived, he parked the car next to the Corvette, he walked up to his Master and blinked twice at the portable freezer they were standing in front of. "What the hell is the meaning of this?" He asked, looking at the captain of the ship.

"It arrived here like this, we don't know." The man said, highly uncomfortable of having to face those two men who could kill him before he could even begin to beg for his life.

"You don't know? As if it was an excuse! We can't do shit with this." He said and grabbed the first bag he found and shook it in front of the captain who paled visibly at the sight of the rotten heart and looked at the elder man, who seemed to be more composed, which was weird, because according to his men had told him usually the redhead was more volatile while the younger was more serene.

"Don't look at me like that." Cross snapped. "Kid's right. Gather your crew, you are coming with us. Allen, call them." The man said, serious for once in his life.

"Call who?" The captain asked.

"None of your business. Let's go get your men." The Irish said going to the ship, making the captain follow him by grabbing the front of his shirt.

Ten minutes later, a total of sixty men and ten women where standing in front of him. Allen arrived two minutes later.

"They are ready for them." The teen said, playing with his beloved pet.

"Good. Put them to sleep already." He ordered and Allen rolled his eyes and Tim jumped from him to Cross, settling in his head. The boy started to chant something that the sailors did not understand, but they didn't have time to think what it was as they all fell unconscious on the floor. "You are getting better at this."

"Been practicing." The younger replied. "You should send them over already, Magdala Curtain must be at its limits, isn't it?" He asked and looked at his master worriedly, knowing that the prolonged use of that technique usually exhausted him.

And Cross wanted to groan: since when his pupil was so perceptive? Had the boy's own curse evolved?

Sighing, he pronounced the spell that sent the normal humans to their clan's headquarters, knowing that they would take care of them. Or more importantly, of their organs.

"Master, bring down Magdala curtain already." Allen said.

"We need to get out of here first."

"You are in no condition to drive. I'll ask Tyki or someone to pick up the car." He replied, frowning, letting his master see he was being dead serious. "Drop it already Shishō!" He said.

"Make the containers disappear first." Allen huffed but did as he was told, chanting again and making the containers with all the organs disappear. The walked down the ramp and got into the Aston.

"Now. Drop it." Allen said, looking him in the eye.

The elder huffed but did so, knowing he would already have trouble staying on his own feet as it was now, there was no need to make it worse. Right at the moment he stopped with the Magdala curtain spell, he felt as if all of his energy had been taken away from him.

And then everything went black.

"Shishō, Shishō." He felt a small hand shaking his shoulder gently.

"Allen." He rasped and opened his eyes a bit, but closed them almost instantly, as if it was taking his whole being to do so. He opened his mouth a bit and the boy knew what he was asking for, so he took the glass, put in his master's mouth and tipped so he could get a good sip of water. "Not wine."

"I'm not giving you wine in that condition." Allen snapped and gave him some more water, ignoring the grumbling. "I'm going to get your pyjamas."

"Just…"

"The bottoms, I know." Allen finished the sentence as he fished the trousers in the mess that was the closet.

"The car?"

"Tyki-pet said he is going to pick me up with it and bring me to school, so I'll bring it back once I finish my lessons." He replied as he sat down next to him and started to undo his shirt.

"Good. Tell him that if there's a scratch, the twins are paying for it. Eager to see me naked, idiot apprentice?" Cross asked, still with his eyes closed but judging by his voice he seemed to be a bit better.

"As if I haven't already." He said as he pulled his master up to a sitting position and made him found support in his scrawny body so he could slip the shirt away. "Tim, please." He said and the monkey took the silk shirt that had pooled at the back of his master and put it on a chair. "Thank you. There are cookies on the table for you." He said and the monkey left, squealing.

Gently Allen lowered his master back down to the mattress and pushed his hair out of his face.

Then he went for the trousers and chuckled when he realised his hands weren't trembling. The first times he had to undress his master because he had been injured or because he used a spell that had drawn his energy away his hands would shake so much that someone would think he had the Parkinson disease, but over the years he became more confident around his master, his body language until the point that he could undress him and not be bothered a bit by it.

He popped the three buttons, unzipped the zipper and slowly tugged the out. Then came the socks and finally the boxers. He then stared at him: Shishō was beautiful, there was no use in denying so, and if they didn't have the relationship they had, he was sure he would have had already jumped at him but well, he couldn't. And he was sure that a relationship with Master would end up with half the neighbourhood… city destroyed and he didn't want to do that. The debt would be too great.

_Besides,_ he thought as he slipped the pants up, one hand under Master's hips to hold him up, _I know him so well and he knows me so well that he's basically my lover. Only without the sex part._

That was one of the reasons people looked at them with bad eyes: because they acted with so much confidence around each other and had so much _physical contact_ they thought they were involved in a romantic relationship. But well, Marian Cross was all Allen had known since he was 5, he never really had, nor needed, friends. He didn't want them. He knew that people thought (and quite a few voiced) that he was the son of the devil, disgusting, and a monster, _something that shouldn't be alive._

And hand rested on his, trapping it between the abs of his master and his hand. "You are thinking about it again."

"Pardon me?" He asked, trying to play dumb.

"You have that look on your face."

"What look?"

"The one you have every time you think about what they called you." The red haired man tugged him and made him rest besides him. "I already told you a million times: forget about them. You are far more skilled, better person and intelligent than any of them." He said and then his body relaxed.

"Thank you Shishō." Allen whispered, brushing the hair off again his face, with so much care that if a stranger had seen the scene, would have looked at them with bad eyes.

* * *

><p><strong>So, yeah, that's it for today! I don't know when next one is going to come, could be tomorrow, next week... I'm not really consistent. :P<strong>

**Hope you liked it! And review! Thank you so much!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Ok, so 3rd chapter is up (duh) I hope you'll like it! More characters introduced!**

* * *

><p>"Are you eager?" Cross-asked as he saw his pupil getting ready for his first day as a student.<p>

"Yes. I'm thrilled! Can't you see it?" The teenager replied sarcastically as he served the food in two plates and sat down at the opposite side of the table.

"Don't be like that. Tyki, Lulu and Wisely are going to be there, it's not like you are going blind somewhere. What the worse that could happen?"

Allen sighed, shaking his head as he raised his white bangs to show the beginning of his curs, a reversed pentacle. "Cursed eye, remember? Mine doesn't have specific days to come out, Shishō. Everyone is going to know what I am." He sighed.

"It's not like we are a secret clan."

"No. We are worse, we are a _fairy tale_ clan." Unlike the Noah Clan, who were up in the open, not that they were sorcerers, of course. Or unlike the Exorcist, the Akuma or the Bookman clans who were completely acting in the shadows, the Curse Clan was just something between them: it was known for the rest of society that there cursed people around the world, but since not so many people had ever met one if they told it someone, no one would believed them, because they were just like a _fairy tail_: something between real and fantasy.

The younger whined and dropped his head onto the table when a horn sounded. "That's probably Tyki." He said and went to get his things.

"Stop right there for a second." The elder said as he stood up and went next to his 'idiot apprentice'. "Aren't you forgetting something?" Allen shook his head. "The spell, stop it." Allen sighed and obeyed, bringing the spell that made his eye completely black, with no iris. "Better now." The boy looked down and fidgeted.

"Is something the matter?" Cross asked, gently, lowering himself to be at eye level with him.

"It's just… I don't think anyone will like me like this. They'll call me…"

"No one will call you anything, Shonen." Tyki said.

"Mikk, I've told you a million times to use the door."

"I did. Went through it."

"As a normal person damn it!" Cross snapped but chuckled when Tyki rolled his eyes. "Anyway, thanks for picking him up." He then said, flashing a smile to the teacher.

"No problem. We don't want him to get lost on his first day, do we?" Tyki said as he hugged the boy by the shoulders.

"Completely agreed. It's a bothersome every time I have to go to the police to pick him up." Marian said, lightening a cigarette.

"You are going to die if you keep smoking like that, Shishō." The youngest said. "Anyway, let's go Tyki-pet. What kind of example would you be if you are late?" Allen said, tugging him. "See you later Shishō! Tim let's go!" The monkey posed himself in his head, as usual.

"I don't think you…" The Noah started.

"But I can." Allen replied, flashing him a smile that the elder knew all too well, having seen it multiple times.

"Ugh, you haven't even started and you are already causing trouble?" Tyki asked.

"Of course. I learned from the masters of causing trouble, or have you forgotten?" The boy said.

Cross laughed behind them and went with them to the entrance of the front yard. He even felt like waving off, but dismissed the idea: he still had a reputation to live up to.

* * *

><p>"Do you think it's him?"<p>

"Who?"

"The guy from yesterday!"

"The one with white hair?"

"Yes! Him!"

Even being inside the car, both Tyki and Allen were perfectly capable to hear the remarks.

"You made quite an impression, shonen."

"Wait until they see my eye and my arm." He said as he spelled his eye again to look the same as the other one.

"I thought Cross told you to not use that spell." The elder said as he brought the spell down.

"Have you two made a promise of making my school life difficult and bring back bitter memories?" Allen asked, sad, defeated.

"Of course not, Allen. But we won't _you_ to accept yourself, something that you have never really done."

"And you think that having people making fun of me is going to help me?" The boy asked sarcastically.

"Do you remember what I've told you about making friends?" The British boy nodded. "Do you remember what your answer was?" Another nod. "Well, you'll see that you will have, want and _need_ friends."

"As if."

"Do I hear a dare in here?" Tyki asked, smirking.

"Shut up." He said and then, once the elder parked, he got out of the car and glared at everyone staring at him.

"Look… His eye is all black." Someone said.

"That's so weird…"

"It's kinda freaky…"

"What's the matter, huh? Never seen a cursed person before?" Allen snapped, looking at everyone.

"Allen, calm down." Tyki said as he started to get out of the car. "Here, the keys." He said as he threw them to him, watching how Tim got them and gave them to his master.

"What the meaning of this, Professor Mikk?" Everyone turned around to see the Principal looking at Allen and Tyki… well he was _scowling_ at them. "You are perfectly aware that relationships between students and teachers are completely forbidden."

"I know."

"So you are giving the keys of your car to Mr. Marian-Walker just because?"

"The car is mine." Allen said and when his cursed eye landed on Leverrier's figure, it reacted, creating a reversed pentacle in it.

"Yours."

"Why of course. My dad and I have a lot of money, you know?" He said, arching an eyebrow.

"That still doesn't explain why Professor Mikk was driving your car."

"We are family, Principal." A female voice.

"Professor Bell." He said. "Care to explain?"

"he is an adopted member of the Noah Clan." She only said and everyone began muttering.

"Ugh." Allen growled. "Morning Lulu." He said, smiling at her and she only nodded at him. _Cold as always._ He thought. "Anyway, if you excuse us, I need to find my class." He said and then left, keys jingling in his fingers.

_Let's see… First class… Composition! Sounds fun enough!_ He thought as he went to his class. Surprisingly enough, he didn't get lost.

There were only three people in the room, two of them sitting together, chatting, while the other one was staring into nothing.

He sat down at the last table, right behind the big guy, that way less people would… Ugh. Whom was he trying to fool? Everyone would see him with his white hair.

"You are new." The guy said and now that he looked at him, he was quite big for an eighteen year old.

"Y-yeah." He said and then his eye caught something that he had never seen before in a stranger and in someone not related to the clan or the organisation. The guy… he was surrounded by baby blue foam.

"I'm Marie. Noise Marie." The guy (Marie) said, extending his hand.

"Allen Marian-Walker." He said, shaking the hand with his good, normal hand.

"Your breathing has changed."

"What? What do you mean?" He was getting defensive.

"The sounds of your breathing is faster now… Oh. I'm sorry. I'm blind." The guy (Marie) said and Allen looked at him with his silver eye and then saw that, effectively, the eyes were staring just at some point behind him.

"Hey Marie! You might wanna stay away of the new one! He's a freak!" Someone said, a new one, yelled at him.

"A freak? What does he mean by that?" Marie asked Allen. "Are you ok? I'm sure he didn't mean anything by it."

_Is this guy really blind?_ The white haired asked himself.

"No worries. I'm used to that. They all mean it." He replied and scratched his monkey on the chin.

"But why?"

"It's what happens when you have white hair, a curse mark running down your face, a black in which appears a reversed pentacle and you are a relative of the Noah clan." Allen listed, not stating his arm.

"And this is why being blind is sometimes good. I can only figure people out by their actions." Marie said. "Mind if I sit with you? Not too many people like to sit with me either."

"How come? You are a nice person." He said, surprised.

"You think so?"

"I _know_ so. My curse… It allows me to see people: their souls, their auras, their intentions." He explained quickly.

"How is that a curse?" Marie asked, curious and surprised: for someone who couldn't see, the possibility of seeing everything was almost like a dream.

"Hm… I admit it can come in handy when deciding whom I should trust and who not. But… I can also see souls crying of pain, for freedom… And I usually say what I see, which has gotten me into a lot of trouble, actually." He sighed and shook his head. "Sorry, I've talked way too much. I don't want to put you in a delicate position." He said, not even bothering to put his polite mask on, he was not in the mood.

"No problem. It's not like I have too many people I could talk about it!" Marie said, shaking his head. "So, what instrument do you play?"

"Flute, violin and piano. Piano is my best, though."

"You had a music teacher when you were a kid?"

"Hm. Not exactly." He said as he opened his notebook when the teacher came in.

"The new student, please come up here and present yourself." Allen sighed and went to the front of the class, his eye fully activated now with so many people concentrating on him.

"I'm Allen Marian-Walker, I'm 18, and I do not wish to be friends with any of you except Marie." That caused a few whispered and glances towards his persona, but he couldn't care less.

"Is that a monkey?" A girl asked and Allen thought she was… a no-no. There was some envy in there, definitely the hunger for power…

"Yes. That's Tim." The monkey only moved a bit in his head before settling down.

"I didn't know we could bring pet in the school."

"Because _you_ can't. But _I_ do." He said, smirking.

"I heard you are cursed." Someone said and Allen picked a greenish-bluish aura in him. As a matter of fact, most of them did.

"So?"

"What did you do? A deal with the Devil?"

"Yeah. Or maybe… I killed someone." He said, smirking in such a dark, evil way, that everyone gasped.

"Mr. Marian! Don't you ever joke about that?" The teacher yelled at him.

"It's Marian-Walker. Not just Marian. And who said I was joking?" He growled as he went back to his seat.

"Hm. I see why you said it gets you in trouble." Marie said.

"Oh no. That was not what I meant. By trouble I meant fist fights, knife fights… You know, red light district stuff." He said.

"You make it sound like you did not have an easy life."

"You have no idea, Marie, you have no idea." He said mysteriously before starting to write whatever the teacher was saying.

* * *

><p>Second lesson was European History… with Professor T. Mikk. At least in this one he could zone off. He smiled when he saw another mop of white hair.<p>

"Wisely!" And everyone turned to look at him as if he was crazy. No one, _absolutely_ no one talked with the Noah teen besides well, the Noah professor and that other guy, Alma.

"Allen!" Oh well, they seemed to know each other, which made it even more _disturbing_.

"Should I ask why did they put you in Tyki-pet's class?"

"I don't think so." After that they hugged each other and everyone blinked: they had never, ever, Wisely being affective to anyone. Not even his own family besides his little sister. "So, what have you and Cross been up to?"

"Nothing much, actually. Where do you sit?" The new one said and sat next to the other white haired teen.

"Heard the clan is making him go to every meeting, right?"

"Yeah. Problem is that this means that _I_ have to go to most of them too." Allen grumbled and Wisely laughed. "How's Road, anyway?"

"Feisty and bothering Lero and Tyki." He replied. "You should come home some day. She misses you." At that, everyone went silent: Wisely Kamelot was inviting someone to his house?

"Damn, I would be lying if I said I haven't missed you guys." The other said.

"Well Shonen, Road is not the only one who missed you." Mikk said as he entered the room.

"Hey, Tyki-pet." He greeted, smirking.

"It's Professor Mikk, you dimwit."

"Of course. The day you win me at poker." Allen winked at him. "Or you know… Shishō." He only said and the other teen next to him chuckled.

"You are up for detention, Allen." Tyki said, suddenly serious and Allen nodded.

"Sinto muito." The boy muttered and lowered his gaze when the soul in Tyki almost literally shook in distress and pain.

"Anyway, start getting into your seats right now. We have already lost enough time. Before that, Allen, present yourself."

The boy huffed but stood, not wanting to make Tyki angrier with him. "My name is Allen Marian-Walker, I'm 18, and I study music. That's all."

"Allen…" Came the menacing voice form the teacher.

"I'm cursed and part of the Noah clan." He grumbled as he sat down.

"You don't have grey skin."

"I do. I choose not to show it." Allen growled.

"Freak."

"Says the one who has probably sucked all the cocks of the football, basketball and rugby teams in a gangbang." Allen replied shooting her a smirk when she blushed and her aura turned black.

Ah well, if he had to put up with those morons, at least he would have fun.

"Hasn't you dad taught you how to treat a lady you _monster_?" A boy yelled and he made the gesture to jump onto Allen, who just looked as if he had been slapped across the face, but before the guy could even get into his feet, Tyki had just slapped him across the face.

"Allen. Out." He said and the boy made sure to obey, Tim jumping into his shoulder. "Wisely, with him." The other white-haired boy followed the first, not without sending the boy a glance that made everybody froze. That was why no one messed with the Noah clan; they were fiercely protective of each other.

"And you, Mr. Pierrot, are in detention for a week." Mikk said as he straightened up. "I'm going to make this very clear from this very moment: this boy is like a brother to me, he has had a really tough life, you cannot even start to imagine it, so if I hear so much of another hurtful comment or insult towards him, or any body of my family, for the matter, I'll forget I'm your teacher and there'll be hell to pay. And for the record, no, Allen has no father, nor mother. He is part of the Noah clan and, as many of you already know or have, if you are smart enough, figured out, he is also part of the Curse clan. And this better stays within these four walls, have I been clear?"

"This is a real abuse of your status as a teacher." Someone stated.

"Maybe. But I'm a Noah, and we all know what my family is known for, don't we?"

No one answered. All thought the same. _Screams. Tears. Blood._

* * *

><p><strong>So that's it for today! Hope you all liked it!<strong>

**Please review! They encourage me to go on with it!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Came a little longer than expected, but anyway, I hope you'll like it!**

* * *

><p>"Allen!" Wisely caught up with him and grabbed his wrist, making him stop. "Geez, you are so fast." The boy said as he sat down and forced the other one to do exactly the same. "Are you ok?"<p>

"Y-yeah. It's just…" The Musician shook his head.

"I know." Wisely said, patting his thigh. "I guess we'll never get used to being called these things. It will always hurt."

"I guess so." He threw his head back. "Anyway, what are you doing here, Wis? I never pegged you for the University type." Allen asked, quickly changing the topic: no need to bring out more bad memories.

"Dad said that the neighbours were starting to talk about me not doing anything, so he forced me to come." He sighed as he petted the golden monkey. "What about you?"

"More or less the same. Shishō thinks people would suspect me doing nothing so he sent me here." He said as he stood up. "Isn't it break time? I'm hungry."

"You are _always_ hungry." Wisely said as he stood up too. "So, how come you settled down now? You've never done it before."

"We haven't. We are just having some trouble with our merchandise and the clan has told us to settle in Europe and investigate."

"Isn't you main port in Germany, though?"

"Yeah. But if we arrived there out of the blue and stayed for too long, it would be suspicious and we would have nothing." He said as he walked to the catering area. "Ah! Jeryy?" He said when he recognised the main cook.

"Allen!" The chef exclaimed, leaning over the table to hug the boy. "You are so mean! You didn't contact me for the past three years!" He cried.

"Ah, sorry, Jeryy. We had some trouble." Marian-Walker said as he patted his back.

"Anyway, darling, what do you want?"

"Hum… Just give me everything you have!" The boy exclaimed and everyone looked at him, blinking.

"Before that, give me a couple of scones." Wisely said.

"Of course, Wise-chan!"

"Chan?" The cursed teen asked, smirking.

"We met in Japan on a trip with my dad and he has a liking to call me that. I threatened him once so he would stop calling me that but…"

"Cold, half-cooked, mushy food for a month?"

"And a half." Wisely almost mopped.

Once Allen had all his food he had left the whole cafeteria without food and waiting for refills. They sat on a rather secluded area and started to eat.

"Hey." A brunette boy with a scar running on his cheeks and nose said as he sat down with them.

"Allen this an acquaintance of mine, Alma Karma. Alma this is my… What are you of me, exactly, Allen?"

"I don't know… Distant cousin? Although we have no blood relationship at all…" The other one mused.

"Yeah. Let's go with that. So Alma, this is a distant cousin, Allen Marian-Walker." The white haired Noah said.

"Allen… Marian-Walker? Your name sounds familiar."

"So does yours… And your face too."

Wisely looked at both of them, scrunching their faces and having a few laughs in his mind.

"Ah!" They both exclaimed, pointing at each other.

"Alma Karma the Akuma!" One yelled.

"Allen Marian-Walker the Cursed!" And so did the other.

They both blinked and Wisely pulled them both down again. "Yeah, and we don't need everyone knowing about it, do we?" He hissed.

"Right." Alma said, rubbing the back of his head.

"Is there someone else from any other clan?" Allen asked. "Because it's starting to get suspicious."

"Hm. I think there are a couple of Exorcists in training somewhere."

"Exorcists? In here? Aren't their HQ in Russia?" Allen asked, frowning.

"Yeah."

"And aren't yours in Tokyo, Alma?"

"Yes. Do you think something is going on?"

"I'm not sure since I'm here to investigate something for the clan, but it's not normal that so many branches are here in the same city, even less that we are all going to the same Uni." Allen said as he fed Tim some fruit.

"I agree, though. I've been living here for two years now and I've never seen so many of us in here." Wisely said. "But we should not worry about it. Didn't you once found yourself in a similar situation once, Alma?"

"Yeah. In USA. Somehow I ended up in a lab full of Exorcists. Quite fun, truth be told." Alma said. "You eat quite a lot, don't you?"

"Yeah. It's because of the curse, a couple of genetic conditions… Long boring story." He simply said.

They ate in silence when Allen's phone rang and started to speak in a weird language, but either of his table companions minded it much, they knew that the Cursed Clan had a language of their own that was only and strictly taught to its members. _Highest_ members. That did catch the Akuma's attention.

"I thought that only the highest members of your clan knew your secret language." He said when Allen hung up.

"Yeah, what about it?"

"How come you know it?"

"Because he is one of the highest members of the clan." Wisely answered for him since he was eating again.

"Exactly." The cursed teen said. "I was picked up by my master when I was 5 and travelled along with him since then, so I know how to do everything. Plus, I'm part of the Noah clan too." He explained, shrugging.

"I didn't know it was possible to be part of two clans."

"Well, cursed clan is just people who have been cursed and picked up so sometimes there are some that already belong to another clan. I think there's one who is from the Bookman clan… Ah well, I don't really know, I've never been to the Clan HQ so…"

"You've never been to your own HQ? Aren't you supposed to go there once you finish your assignments?"

"Usually. But since both Shishō and I are part of the highest members, we have a white card." He grinned and then sighed when the bell rang.

"What do you have now?" Alma asked as he stood up.

"Psychology." The grey-skinned one replied.

"P.E.? You still do P.E. in University?" Allen asked, not believing his eyes.

"Don't bitch so much. Topic this term is hand to hand combats, you should be fine." Wisely said, patting his shoulder. "I'll see you on lunch break!" Allen nodded as he left.

* * *

><p>He headed to the gym, Tim tugging his hair every time he was going in the wrong direction. When he finally arrived, the rest of the class was already there, all clad in gym clothes.<p>

"Are you the new guy?" The teacher asked.

"Yeah. Allen Marian-Walker." He said.

"You are late."

"I got lost." Someone laughed at that, but it was not a mocking laugh, to his surprise.

"Anyway, go get changed."

"I don't have gym clothes with me, I'll do the class with these." He said.

"With jeans and a shirt?"

"Yeah."

"As you wish. What about the… is that a monkey?"

"It's Tim. He'll be on the trees during the lesson, don't worry for that." He said as he petted the monkey, who did exactly that.

"Alright then. Do you have any experience in hand-to-hand combat?" The teacher asked.

"Yeah. My dad has taught me how to fight since he adopted me." He replied, smiling cheekily.

"Perfect. Kanda, you are with him!" He yelled and the person who responded by this name walked up to them. Said person was definitely Japanese, pale, blue-eyed and had dark blue hair.

"Uh… You want me to fight a girl, sir?" He asked confused. And he was even more confused when everyone gasped.

"Who did you call a girl, Moyashi?" Kanda said.

"You are a boy? Man, you sure need to do something with this girly face of yours!" Allen said, shaking his head. "And who are you calling a Beansprout? Name's Allen!"

"What is he talking about? Kanda called him Moy-something…" Someone said.

"Moyashi, you moron." A redhead one said. "Moyashi is Beansprout in Japanese. Right Yuu-chan?" He asked as he jumped to stand next to Kanda. The boy had vibrant red hair, right eye covered with an eye-patch, the other one was emerald green and had a goofy smile plastered in his face.

"What did you call me?" The blue haired one yelled as he pointed a katana in his face.

"Uh… Gomen, gomen." The red-haired said, smirking.

"Lavi! You are with Krory, and stop fooling around!" The teacher said and 'Lavi' went next to a bi-colour-haired boy, whom Allen guessed was 'Krory'. "Anyway, warm up and Kanda, Allen, you'll have the first match."

Allen took of his shoes and socks and started to run with the rest of the class, under the astonished gaze of his teacher and fellow classmate.

"Marian-Walker, what the bloody hell are you doing?"

"Running, sir." The boy replied.

"Bare foot?"

"Yes sir. That's the way I was taught."

"Is your father an athlete?"

"Er… I wouldn't exactly say so…" He said, rubbing the back of his head as he imagined his 'dad' being an athlete. Talk about hilarious.

"Anyway, Kanda, come here." The boy went next to them and withdrew his katana. "I've told you already a million times that you cannot use this in school! This is hand-to-hand combat, not samurai!"

"It's ok, sir, he can use it if he wants." The white haired one said, smirking cheekily.

"I'll tear you into pieces so small that you mom is not going to even recognise you." Kanda said.

"Well, I don't think she would even recognise me now. Quite hard for someone who was abandoned to have a mother, don't you think?" The tone was bitter now.

"Tch." The boy withdrew once more his katana and pointed at him.

"Now, we get on with the match. We shouldn't make the ladies wait, right, fem-face?"

And before the teacher could tell the to start, Kanda had jumped at him, wielding his sword around, only to find it blocked by the black arm, but the boy didn't waver a bit.

"A prosthesis?" Someone, a girl, said.

"No. If it's what I think it could be read it's a rare genetic mutation. The muscles of some specific areas of the body are a great deal stronger than the rest. It's also said that the flesh is also harder and stiffer, making it impossible to cut and therefore, to bleed. They can't sense pretty much anything with them, either. So it's like he has no sense of temperature, pain and touch itself. But of course, that's just a theory." Lavi said, his eyes looking the dance happening in front of them. "It could also be that he has some kind of robotic arm, isn't that your brother's area of expertise, Lenalee?" The girl nodded.

Yuu was the most skilled in the school when it came to sword wielding, however this new guy seemed to be putting him against the wall without even a weapon. But there was something weird with that black and red eye… He had heard his grandparent talk once about a kid who had an eye like him. Something about a curse, too. Ah well, he would ask again after the classes were finished.

After twenty minutes of yells, curses, insults and something-that-could-resemble-a-conversation between the two contestants of the match the teacher told them to stop once he saw none of them was going to get the upper hand of it and that they could be going at it the whole day.

"Krory, Lavi, you are up." He said. "And you boy, I would like to have a chat with your father. He seems to have instructed you really well. I would also like him for come one day and show us some moves."

"Believe me, you don't want that. He is not exactly the most patient person. Besides, he travels a lot, so he is not around too much." The white haired boy said, shaking his head as he went with the rest of the class, standing next to a green-haired girl, who was standing quite behind in comparison to the rest.

"Allen Marian-Walker, right?" She said, smiling.

"Yeah."

"I'm Lenalee Lee." She said and he eyed her. Her name sounded familiar, but he was sure he had never met her. "You are not interested in the match?"

"Not particularly, no." He said. "You yourself don't seem to interested in it either."

"I see them wrestling everyday, so it's ok." She replied. "We've been friends for over two years now. With Kanda too."

"Fem-face? He definitely doesn't seem the friendly type." He said.

"He is… but in his very particular way." She replied smiling a bit nervous, as if she herself didn't believe it. "Hey, that thing in your face…?"

"None of your business." He said harshly, definitely not caring if he had hurt her when his phone rang again.

"Phones are not allowed during lessons!" The girl said and a few seconds later so did the teacher.

"Sir, not to be rude or anything, but since no you did not ask where I'm from, I'm can assume that someone has told you about where I come from, right? About my relatives." He said, voice low and calm. The teacher nodded. "Then you should let me answer this call. Could be important." He said as he swiped his finger and answered the call. "Hey _daddy_!" He said, punctuating the word.

"**Mikk called me." **

"That damn Portuguese…" He grumbled under his breath.

"**Are you ok? He seemed really affected." **Oh. That was a surprise. Not that Tyki was affected, but that Cross seemed worried by that.

"I'm ok, don't worry." He replied, smiling a bit.

"**Are you sure?"**

"Yeah. Wise is here. And there's also Alma Karma."

"**The Akuma child?"**

"Yeah. Why?"

"**Keep an eye on him."**

"As you wish, Shishō. I should hang up, Shishō, I'm in the middle of…"

"**You know I'm here for you, right?"**

He blinked, a bit taken aback for that but then smiled sweetly. "Of course I know, Shishō. And you have no idea how thankful I am for that."

"**Good. If I'm not home when you come back I'll probably be in the harbour."**

"Do you want me to come?"

"**No need. In any case I should be back by dinner."**

"Ok! See you then, Shishō. Take care."

"**Yeah. You too." **

"Are you done, Mr. Marian-Walker?" The teacher asked, obviously displeased with him.

"Yeah." He replied, smirking. "Sorry for the interruption, it was urgent."

"It's alright. But better not happen again."

"Hm. Can't promise that. My dad and I run a company together so we need to contact each other every time something happens." He said, using his phone to tap his lips. "Besides, we wouldn't want a curse fall upon the whole school, would we, sir?" He said, smirking devilishly. "But please, continue with the lesson."

People had starting muttering around him, but he didn't exactly care. What he didn't expect, was the red-haired boy to jump onto his back.

"I'm Lavi. Just Lavi." He said, offering a hand. Allen looked at him quizzically, but the aura of the boy shone in a soft golden colour, something that he barely saw as it meant that he had no ill intentions towards him.

"A-Allen Marian-Walker." He said, shaking the hand.

"You are so cool!" The boy said and the white haired one stared at him as if Lavi had grown another head. Cool? This was the first time someone called (and probably thought) him _cool_. He had been called many things: monster, devil, abomination, assassin, son of a bitch, bastard, cursed… But never, ever, had he been called by a stranger _cool_. And for someone unknown reason, he liked it. He liked it a lot.

That guy, Lavi, was weird, but he himself was weird, so he had no right to judge others. And he seemed to know a lot. And the way he talked reminded him a lot of someone else.

"Do you wanna join us for lunch?" Lavi said.

"Excuse me?"

"Lunch. Do you wanna sit with us? We saw you with that Wisely guy and we all know he is not that friendly… Actually, it was a surprise to see you two together. He usually only talks with Alma." The boy said.

"Wise is my cousin." Allen told her harshly.

"Well, then tell him to join us too." Lavi said, still in his back. "Hey, wait, does that mean that you are a member of the Noah clan?"

"Adopted. _Walker_ comes from my adoptive uncle surname."

"And Marian?"

"My adoptive father."

"You are adopted? So am I! Well, kind of." Lavi said, smirking.

"Hum, Lavi, I'm not sure if it's a good idea if Wisely comes to sit with us… He has a bad reputation, remember?" Lenalee whispered to the redhead, who only stared at her in disbelief.

"Whatever. I'm going to sit with them. Is that ok, Allen?"

"Sure, you are a good person."

"Huh? How could you know that if you just met him?" Someone else asked and Allen only pointed at his eye as he called Tim to go over him.

_Ah! So it's a curse… He might be the one Jiji mentioned sometimes then…_ The red head thought as he trailed after the white haired teen.

* * *

><p>Tyki Mikk stared at his phone, deciding whether to call or not. "Aren't you staring at it for far too long?" LuluBell asked him as she entered his office and sat on the desk. "I've never seen you so dubious to call someone, so I assume it's either your brother or Cross. And since you saw Sheryl today morning, I'm picking Cross."<p>

"Have I ever told you how much I hate you?" He grumbled.

"A few times, yes. Anyway, what's the problem?" She replied.

"Allen is in one of my History classes. There's this stupid fuck that called him 'monster' I went berserk… But that's not the problem the problem if that if Cross knows about it he is going to have my head for sure. You know how protective he is of Allen."

"Is that it?"

"Huh?"

"Are you telling me that you won't call him because of what he _might_ do to you?" Tyki nodded. "And it has nothing to do with the fact that he could insult you and tell you stay away from them for ever?"

Tyki glared at her at sighed. He seriously hated her sometimes. But she was right, it was the fact that Cross might outright reject him just because of that rather than the fact of getting beaten to a bloody pulp.

He didn't know why, he didn't know how nor when, the first time he saw him, he thought that the man looked downright sexy and dangerous.

That would have been about thirteen years ago, which meant that he had… about sixteen or so. He had always done a marvellous job at hiding it, however it was becoming more and more difficult as years went by and now that he knew that they lived at the same city it was putting a great pressure at him in order to restrain himself and jump at him.

Besides, there was one big problem in this whole equation: Cross was straight as a nail. And even if he was attracted to men, why would he settle his eyes on him? He could have any human being he desired, so why go for the scarred, grey-skinned, golden-eyed one?

"You know, for someone as confident as you are, he can bring you down with things that you imagine." LuluBell said.

"Just leave me alone, Lulu." He sighed and she shrugged, leaving the room.

He stared at the phone for a few more minutes and decided that he had to do that, not as Tyki Mikk, Allen's uncle or whatever he exactly was, but as Tyki Mikk, Allen's History teacher.

"Who is this and how do you have this number?" Came the harsh voice.

"It's Tyki Mikk…"

"Ah! You changed your number?"

"Road stole it. But that's not why I called you."

"Figured as much. So, what's up? My idiot apprentice already crushed someone into a wall?"

"N-not exactly…"

"What happened to him, Mikk?"

"A… A boy called him… a monster." He quickly said, swallowing dry.

"He what? I'm coming over and I'm going to beat him half to…"

"No need. I already took care of him and the situation." He quickly said. Last thing they needed was Cross firing bullets all around the campus.

"Thanks."

"Yeah. No problem." He said.

"You know it's not your fault, right?" Was… Was Cross trying to comfort him?

"I'm the one who pushed him to tell the truth about who he is. If I hadn't…"

"That guy would have called him that anyways. People are just like this, Mikk, they hate and fear everything that's different and Allen is a great deal different than any teenager that might be in this University. Even more than Wisely." He said. "So don't worry. The boy won't break down just for that, it'll hurt, yes, but he won't break."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course. I'm his father after all, aren't I?" The man said and Tyki hummed. "Thanks for calling, Mikk. You should come over for dinner one of these days. I'm sure the boy will love it."

_And you? Will you love it?_

"S-sure."

"Good. Text me when you can and I'll see if we are around." Cross said. "Bye."

"Bye." Well, that certainly went a lot better than he had ever expected. Maybe he couldn't have a chance to be with the man, but he sure as hell was going to try to spend as much as he could with him.

From his window, he could see how Allen was having a match with Kanda. Maybe he should have told Cross about that, too. Ah well, he could always bring it up during dinner.

* * *

><p><strong>Well, that's it so far! Please review!<strong>


	5. Chapter 5

Lunch had been interesting to say the least. Wisely and Alma seemed to like Lavi and the boy, even if he was a lot cheerier than they were, wasn't dumb by any means. He spoke almost as many languages as Allen did.

"So, what are you studying, Lavi?" Alma asked.

"Journalism. Family business." He replied. "And you?"

"Psychiatry." Wisely said.

"Neuroscience."

"Great, now I'm feeling dumb." Allen grumbled.

"Why? What are you studying?"

"Music." The cursed one said.

"No way! You must know Kanda's brother!"

"Fem-face has a brother?" Wisely snickered at that: leave it to Allen to call that to the short-tempered samurai.

"Yeah. Marie. Plays the harp."

"Marie is fem-face's brother? How can it be? Marie is so nice and fem-face is an asshole." He said.

"Well, they are adoptive brothers." Lavi said. "Kanda helped Marie around when he had the accident that left him blind and in the end, Mr. Tiedoll adopted both of them."

"Tiedoll? Froi Tiedoll?" Allen asked.

"Do you know him?" Wisely asked.

"Yeah. Cross and I had some deals with him and his company." Walker replied, nodding as he stuffed his mouth with some meat.

"You have a company? And who is Cross?" Lavi asked, interested.

Wisely replied for him. "Cross is his Master. And they have a company that translates, analyses and restores books."

"You have a Master?"

"He's the one who adopted me, but he doesn't act at all as a father and never asked me to call him that way, so I took on calling him Shishō or Master." Allen explained after he swallowed.

"In Japanese."

"We lived in Japan for about an year and a half. I liked how it sounded." Allen said. "What about you? You said you were adopted too, right?"

"Yeah. I ran away form home when I was six after my brothers were always beating me for nothing. After a couple of months I ran onto Jiji and then he adopted me."

"Jiji? Japanese too, huh?"

"Well, he prefers if I call him Bookman but… sounds too serious, so I started to call him Jiji or Panda."

"Bookman? You are a member of the Bookman clan?" Alma asked, not believing it: he and Wisely had a member of another clan right in front on their eyes and they never suspected anything.

"Yeah, why?"

"Never suspected the Bookman clan had someone infiltrated in here." Wisely replied.

"Infiltrated? What do you mean?"

"Wait so… you don't know who we are?" Alma asked.

"Hum… Wisely Kamelot, Portuguese, 19 years old, has a younger sister, he's Mikk's nephew, and LuluBell's whatever and he's father hold a high position in the Portuguese Government. Alma Karma, half-Vietnamese half-Spanish, 18 years old, no relatives known but you have some kind of relation with Kanda although I don't know what is it and it irks me not to know it." Lavi stated.

Allen eyed his cousin. "A bit weird, don't you think?" He asked in the Noah language, not wanting to switch to Portuguese knowing that Lavi would probably understand it.

"Yeah. If he doesn't know about us, maybe he's just here to be a student."

"Doesn't sound like something that old man would do." The silver eyed one said.

"Yeah. I'll ask my dad if he knows something."

"No need for. He really is just a student." A voice behind them said.

"Ah! Tyki-pet!" Allen smiled at him and the Professor smiled at him.

"You alright?" The elder asked still in their own language.

"Yeah. Thanks for calling Cross." He said.

"No problem. I'll see you both later. Road wants to see you, Allen."

"Alright. I'll come by one day. Maybe get Cross to tag along." He replied.

When Tyki walked away Alma was eating, definitely not bothered by the fact he didn't understand anything but a few words, however, Lavi was blinking.

"What language was that?" He asked.

"Noah? I don't think there's a name for it." Wisely said.

"And I might have heard wrong but… Did he call Professor Mikk 'Tyki-pet'?" Lavi asked Wisely pointing at Allen, who was back to his food.

"He has been calling uncle Tyki that way sine he was five o six. And it stuck. However, Allen is the only allowed to call him that way."

"And he calls him that way in University."

"He and social convention manners don't go together. At all. But if you ever met his master you'll understand why."

"Hey, do they have scotch in here?" Allen suddenly asked.

"Scotch. This is a University." Wisely repeated.

"Yeah, so?"

"Sorry Al, no scotch." Wisely said. "Besides, you can't drink in England yet. You are still considered a minor." The boy scrunched his face.

"Fuck it." He said as he gave his pet a whole sandwich. "This sucks."

"You drink?" Alma asked, blinking.

"Yeah. Why?"

"Don't you fear for your liver?" Lavi asked.

"I have supper high metabolism, so no. And I don't have hangovers either."

"That's because you've been drinking since you were seven! You and Cross are immune to alcohol." Wisely said.

"Since you were seven? That's so cool!" Lavi and Alma both exclaimed, the redhead grabbing his left arm, making Allen jerk back. "You alright?" Lavi asked softly.

"Yeah. Just… don't touch it." Allen smiled back at him and Lavi nodded. Wanted it or not, he knew about body parts not wanted to be showed nor touched by others.

"Fuck, already?" Alma whined when the alarm rang. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow. Are you joining us again at break, Lavi?"

"Yeah sure." The recently discovered Bookman clan member replied, smiling at them. "I gotta go, if I'm late again, I'll be kicked out. Again." He said as he ran away.

"Hey Allen, you came with Tyki right?"

"Yeah. I asked him to pick the car yesterday at the harbour after we had some trouble. Why? You want to get a free ride?" He asked, teasingly.

"I certainly don't want to go walking home and I'm not taking the bus." The older teen said.

"I feel you. Last time I was into one I ended up in the police station."

"You stabbed someone?" Alma asked, curious.

"No. He probably just got lost. He always gets lost." Wisely said. "That's what Tim is for." He said as he petted the golden monkey.

"You'll end up in a bus, Wise." Allen menaced him but there was no threat in it. "You want a ride too, Alma?"

"You don't mind?"

"Clan pays for the gas, so it's ok." Allen replied.

"I thought you had to pay for it." Wisely said.

"We got into an agreement: Cross and I go to all the fucking reunions and they pay for the transport and the gas. It's a pretty sweet deal."

"Specially if you fall sleep in all of them!" Wisely said as he bumped him. "Hey, Alma, have you ever been to any of them?"

"A reunion? Not yet, they don't allow us to go to one until we are at least twenty-two." He explained. "What about you?"

"Sometimes. Earl picks whomever has to go randomly." The Noah said.

"Been going to all of them since I was 5. Or at least all the ones Shishō actually went."

"So you are the only ones who go?"

"Not really. I'm usually the one who goes, sometimes I've been paired up with other members, but problem is that we are the only ones handling with the stuff first hand, the rest of the higher members only read the reports. And Shishō is the only one who knows everyone because the other high members always stay at HQ. Funny things I never seen our President… or however he is called." He felt a tug in his hair. "Yeah Tim, what is it?" The monkey pointed at a corridor. "Oh. That way? Ok. I'll see you at my car."

"Which one is it?"

"The only Corvette in the whole parking lot." He said before leaving.

"And how do I know which one is a Corvette?" Alma asked, staring at the boy's back.

"Easy. It's going to be the only car expensive. You'll recognise it." Wisely said. "See you later."

The following two lessons had followed the same way the previous ones had: boring, with people staring and whispering about him and his looks. No one good enough to bother knowing. Good thing was that Marie was in them too.

When he arrived at his car Alma and Wisely were already there, waiting.

"Man, I'm so jealous. I don't even have a car!" Alma whined.

"Hey, don't Corvettes only have two seats?" The elder asked.

"Birthday gift from Shishō." He grinned and then reeved the motor before speeding off.

* * *

><p>After leaving both of them and speeding off before his crazy family could abduct him for the rest of the day, he arrived home.<p>

"I'm back!" He yelled, but no reply came, so he guessed Cross was at the harbour. "What should we do then, Tim? Should we go to explore a bit?" The monkey chirped and Allen grabbed his wallet, his phone and the first key cars he got and went down to the garage not without leaving a note in the bar counter, knowing it would be the first place the man would go to.

He drove to where he remembered the black market in the city was with his furry personal GPS guiding him. When he arrived, he was surprised to find Bookman there.

"Hey Bookman!" He said, waving at the man.

"Ah, Mr. Marian-Walker." The boy huffed, hating the way the man always addressed to him. "Allen."

"So, what are you doing here? It's pretty unusual for you to be around the black market areas." The boy pointed out.

"I'm supposed to meet with my apprentice here. But the damn brat is late, as always."

"Oh! Lavi?"

The man frowned and looked up at him. "You know him?"

"Yeah. We are in the same gym class. Had lunch with me, Wisely and Alma. He doesn't know about us at all, does he?" He asked.

"Not yet. That's why I told him to come here."

"What about what you do? Because he seemed clueless as hell."

"So you saw it, huh?"

"Pretty hard not too." Allen said s he spotted the redhead's soul at the entrance. "I guess you don't want him to know who I am, right?"

"Not yet. You cursed ones are the last ones we learn about."

"Is that so? Why?"

"You are probably the most dangerous ones and we don't want to put our clan members or supporters in a delicate position with you. Specially since you are there." He said and Allen chuckled.

"Anyway, I'll be going. He'll see my hair if I stay any longer." He said as he scurried away, Tim grabbing handfuls of his hair.

He stopped at the _real_ entrance and knocked.

"Password." Came a voice form the inside, he muttered the words. "That's not the correct one. That's the old one."

"Open the door."

"No can do." Came the voice. "And aren't you just a kid? What are you doing here?"

"I said open the fucking door."

"Or else?"

"Or else…"

"Mr. Marian-Walker!" Someone else said form the inside and the door opened from side to side. "Excuse us, we texted the new password to Mr. Marian…"

"Haven't I told you to send them to me?" He barked.

"Yes sir." A bald man said as he bowed to him.

"And who the hell is that moron, Johnson?"

"My nephew, sir."

"Who the fuck is he?" The nephew asked.

"You stupid fuck!" The man turned around and hit him hard across the face. "This is Mr. Allen Marian-Walker, you dumbass! You know what he can do with just a phone call? A snap of his fingers?"

"This brat it's him? You said he was one of the highest members of his clan!" The younger groaned.

"And he is. He's been in this business longer than you, so shut up. Sir, I'm so sorry about this." He shot a dirty glance to the boy.

"I'll let it slide for this once. Where's Raj?"

"His usual place." Johnson replied and Allen left, leaving uncle and nephew discussing.

"Everyone out." He said when he arrived at his destination and everyone, recognising him, fled outside, leaving him and the owner, Raj, alone.

He was talking with the man when his phone rang. "Yeah."

"**Want me to come or you good in your own?"** His master asked.

"I'm fine. I won't be too long here anyways."

"**Need me to get something on the way back home?"**

"Milk and eggs." He said.

"**Of course. Don't take long."**

"Yeah, yeah. Thirty minutes and I'll be there."

"**Good."**

After a few more minutes of talking with the man, he left.

* * *

><p>"Shishō! I'm back!" He yelled as he left the keys in the bowl.<p>

"Living room!" Came the reply and he headed there, Tim jumping form him to go somewhere else. "So, where were you?"

"With Raj." He replied as he sat next to him, letting the elder wrap an arm around his shoulders. He might have said he was fine over the phone, but he needed to feel him close.

"He knew something?"

"Not really, although he did mention that the some merchandise doesn't last as long as usual." He whispered. "Did you find something?"

"This." He said as he gave Allen an engraved red stone.

"For real? _They_ of all people are the ones who have been doing that?"

"Looks that way." The elder said before pressing his lips in the white hair. "You really are ok?"

"Y-yeah… It's just that… it stills hurts." He mumbled.

"Just know I'll be always here for you, ok?"

"Thank you Shishō…" He whispered before hugging the red haired man tightly around his chest. "I was lucky it happened at Tyki-pet's lesson."

"You were. And talking about Mikk…"

"Hm?"

"I invited him over for dinner." Cross said, looking at the wall at the other side of the room as if it wasn't such a big deal.

"Pardon me?"

"I invited him over for dinner."

"You invited Tyki-pet for dinner."

"Yeah. That's what _I_ said."

Well, talk about weird: for years, Cross seemed… no, despised the Noah to the point that he had seen Tyki wavering in front of him.

Eight-year-old Allen never understood why Tyki did that, though: he was very strong too!

It hadn't been until he heard Sheryl and Tyki talking inside a room one of the times he stayed in the mansion with his new family as he was hiding from Nea. He knew eavesdropping wasn't a nice thing to do, but he didn't care at all. Not when he heard Tyki crying.

"Hey, Tyki, it'll be alright." He heard the elder brother whisper and embrace the younger and Allen witnessed something rare: Tyki leaned against his sibling, hugging him.

"N-no. He, he, he hates me." He sobbed.

"He doesn't."

"Yes he does. He's friends with Nea, he and the Earl have spats but they are friends too, he has long conversations with you, he and Lulu have meet sometimes to have lunch, he plays with the twins and Road and Wise."

"He ignores the rest."

"But he doesn't insult them! He only calls _me_ names!" The boy wailed.

"Well…" Sheryl didn't know what to say to that, so he only hugged him closer and kissed his hair. "He'll come around, ok?" He said as he stood up. "I'm going to get you something to drink, alright?"

"Thank you Sheryl." He whispered.

"Anything for you."

Sheryl was surprised when he saw Allen obviously waiting for him, big silver eyes looking at him with worry.

"Is it my Master who makes Tyki-pet sad?" He asked, obviously distressed and Sheryl could only bend to pick him up. He was now in a delicate position: he didn't want to tell the kid that it was indeed his Master, whom he obviously loved, the one who was hurting Tyki, his favourite Noah after Nea. However, if he lied, Allen would know right on the spot.

"Yes." He finally said and Allen nodded, hugging his neck before looking up at him with fiery determination in his eyes.

"I'll make Master treat Tyki-pet better! I'll make him like Tyki-pet!" He exclaimed and Sheryl laughed, amused.

"Of course you will, Allen." He said and somehow, the Portuguese believed it.

But they both faith as years went by and not only Cross kept treating the Noah just like usual, but Tyki looked up to the discussions and provoked Cross. It wasn't healthy, and the four of them knew. Sheryl had tried to make his little brother reason and Allen talked with Shishō. He never told the Minister how he did it, but he did get him to treat Mikk better.

But inviting him to dinner? Over their house? Not in a million years would he have had allowed it before, even less invite him unless Allen had threatened him with no alcohol or dared him to do it.

He just hoped Cross wasn't pulling a cruel joke on Tyki.

* * *

><p><strong>So, that's all for now! I hope you liked it! And we saw a bit of Tyki!<strong>


	6. Chapter 6

**Sixth chapter is up! I actually thought it would take me longer, but somehow I managed to write it! I hope you'll like it!**

* * *

><p>"Where are they?" Kanda asked as he sat down at their usual table, only this time their were alone.<p>

Kanda, even if he said he hated Allen and didn't like Wisely that much, he seemed to pretty comfortable around Alma, which amazed Lavi to no end and _he still didn't know what kind of relationship they had. _And he wanted to know it so badly, but if he asked, he was going to be found dead next morning.

"Allen said he and his Master were going to Connecticut for something about their company, Wisely had to go back to Portugal for some reception his father was doing and he had to be there yes or yes and Alma… I don't know. But you do, don't you?" He asked smugly.

"He said he was going to Russia, I think. Something about a convention." The blue haired male replied as he started to eat his soba. "Don't you think it's weird?"

"You are awfully talkative today, Yuu-chan." Lavi said ducking the fork that had been thrown his way. "Not that I have something against it." He quickly added. "But what's weird?"

"That the three of them are not here the same exact week." Kanda said.

"I don't know, maybe. You think they are just skipping school?"

"Doesn't sound like them. But it does seem like something is up." The Japanese said. "Have you talked with Lenalee lately?"

"She ain't talking to me. You?" Kanda shook his head.

_**-Flashback-**_

Lavi had been siting with them for two weeks now and was now part of the group. He found the other three boys highly interesting: not only could he report on two Noahs but to be friends with them and Alma Karma was something too. Maybe he wasn't part of a clan like them, but he sure as hell was interesting.

Wisely and Alma (who shared a subject) had been discussing something about brain parts, Allen was working in his composition assignment, tapping on the table with his fingers and humming softly the tune and Lavi was watching both Allen and his music (although he wasn't understanding anything the boy nor the criteria he was following) and the debate across the table when Kanda came up, soba dish in hand, Mugen (his beloved katana) in his back and tea in his other hand.

"What do you want, BaKanda?" Allen snapped so quickly that no one would have thought that seconds ago he was deeply concentrated in his work.

"Nothing with you, Moyashi." He growled back as he sat down next to Alma who instantly hugged him. "Let go of me, Alma." Everyone in the room blinked: since when was Kanda so… _easy-going _with someone?

"Going soft, fem-face?" Allen teased as he went back to his paper.

Three seconds later, Mugen was out and Allen left arm preventing it form cutting his head. _Another thing that irked Lavi: what the hell was with that arm? And why did Allen always wear gloves?_

After that day, Kanda had joined them in their meals and pauses, although he mostly only talked with Alma… or rather, Alma talked and Kanda didn't point Mugen's pointy edge at his neck like he did with Lavi. And for Wisely… they barely talked but when they did, their conversation were quite deep in content.

And there was also that eye of Allen's: some days it was silver like his right one, some days was black with the red circles and reversed pentagram. And he still didn't tell him what was it. Although Allen seemed to always be looking thinks that didn't exist and saying rude comment to most of the people he'd cross in his way to his lessons of they talked to him. Professors or students, he didn't care. But well, he knew he was untouchable, so he used in his favour. And to help his friends. And Lavi was happy to be part of that.

As for Lenalee, she had disapproved their new friends to the point of not speaking to either of them, even if Lavi had tried to convince her that Allen, Wisely and Alma were not bad people. She just went of and joined the cheerleaders group.

_**-End flashback-**_

"Did someone left you alone, boys?" The green haired girl said, smiling smugly. "And what about your boyfriend, Kanda? Did he run away when he knew you are a traitor?"

Both boys turned to stare at her. "Fuck off, Lenalee." The samurai-wanna-be said, causing both Lavi and her to stare at him wide open: granted, Kanda lacked manners, but he had never told a girl to shut up that way.

"Y-you…"

"Hey, Lena! What are you doing with those weirdos? Hurry up!" A girl called her form the distance.

"Yeah _Lena_, goes with the whores." Lavi said, smirking.

The girl stared at them, dumbfounded. "They changed you. You weren't like this. You just became rude freaks!"

"How do you know we weren't like this before? We just went along with you because of your brother. And all you did was bitch, and cry and talk about shoes." Lavi said as he popped another fritter in his mouth. "Besides, Kanda here has anger management issues and goes with Mugen everyone, I wear an eye patch… I'd say we're with those who can understand us: two Noah and Alma… Although I still don't know what is Alma's deal…" He mused, but now to himself.

"And you don't have to know, baka usagi." Kanda said to him.

"Lena!" The same voice form before yelled and she left.

"Fucking brat." Kanda groaned as he finished his soba.

"You said it."

Lavi now kept quiet, his mind going back to the day Jiji brought him to the fucking black market! He still had no idea how the hell was that related to documenting everything that happened in the world! And what did the Panda mean by: "You'll understand it soon enough." It was driving him nuts!

* * *

><p>Next morning, Lavi, Kanda and Alma were waiting for Allen and Wisely to arrive, as they usually came together. But they did not that day. Wisely arrived with Professor Mikk and Professor Bell.<p>

"Allen is not with you?" Alma asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Cross is dropping him, they arrived just three hours ago." Wisely said and almost in queue a black Ferrari was seen at the end of the street.

"Believe me, you are not missing anything."

"How many cars do they have?" Kanda asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"Too many." Wisely grumbled.

Allen stepped out and rubbed his head, yawning while from the driver's seat a tall, red haired man with half his face covered in a strange white mask came out.

"Morning." The boy said as he went to Wisely and let his head fall on the elder's shoulder, closing his eyes and wrapping his arms around his waist.

"Morning to you too." The Noah replied, obviously not caring for the proximity. "Hey uncle Cross."

"Uncle?" The other three exclaimed and the Noah shrugged.

"Hey there, boy." The man said as he looked at the other three. "And you are…?"

"Those are Alma, Lavi and BaKanda." Allen said yawning again as he pushed himself away from his cousin and faced his master. "Anyway, why did you even get out of the car? You are going to be late and they'll will complain to _me_ again." The boy whined.

"When have we ever been in time? Besides, they want me there? They are going to wait for me." The elder said and Allen huffed. "Where's Mikk?" He asked, looking at the golden-eyed teen.

"He has a free period now, so probably in his office." He replied.

"Alright. See you later, idiot apprentice." He said, leaning over to mutter something in his ear, one hand in the slender waist, making the teen roll his eyes.

The other three again, stared dumbfounded at that: what kind of relationship was that?

"Don't do anything I wouldn't do, alright?" Cross whispered in his ear although all of them could hear it perfectly.

"That gives me a short list." Allen said and then kissed his cheek.

The elder ruffled his head and started to head inside. "Is that a gun?" Lavi asked, eyeing the man's right thigh.

"Yep. Shishō and I have clearance. But I don't like guns that much. Take away the fun." He said and Lavi blinked at him.

"What?"

"Allen here has been in a few… encounters in his life." Wisely teased and Allen snickered.

"That reminds me tonight I have a date with Tyki-pet… Why don't you come too?"

"To a date with you and Professor Mikk?" Kanda snorted.

"It's not that _kind_ of date." Allen replied back as he opened the door, taking a sleeping Tim and putting him in his head. "Oh man."

"What's the matter?" Alma asked.

"Tim is sleeping." He said.

"C'mon, I'll go with you." Lavi said, pulling him to the building.

"Thanks Lavi!" he exclaimed as he followed him, smiling to the elder boy.

"No problem!"

They were walking up to Allen's classroom when Allen eyed the redhead. "Hey Lavi?"

"Yeah."

"Do you remember what Shishō's and my company does?"

"Analysis and translation of books. What about it?"

"You Bookmans like mental challenges and books, right?"

"Well, yeah. Why?"

"Come with me to my house today afternoon and I'll show you!" He replied. "And then we can go to my date with Tyki-pet."

Now, Lavi was in an inner war: his common sense was screaming not go with a guy who knew so much about a fucking secret clan, Noah or not, but his Bookman side was yelling to go with him, to see what he had.

"Ok. Let's see what you got." He said, smiling and Allen smirked before going on tiptoes and kissed his cheek.

"You won't regret it, I swear." He whispered before going to his classroom.

And so Lavi spent all of his day in the clouds and silence, much too Kanda's thanks who had never believed he would leave to see the usagi in silence for more than five minutes.

* * *

><p>Cross stood in front of the door that said 'Tyki Mikk, History Department' in golden letters deciding whether to knock or not to knock. After a few minutes he decided that it would be out of character of him, so he just opened the door.<p>

"Hey." He said and the boy looked at him.

"Cross?" The Portuguese said, starting at him as if he was a ghost.

"Yes, I believe that my name." He said as he sat down on one of the chairs.

"W-what are you doing here?" _Now_ he was dumbfounded. In any normal case, if any parent or guardian or whatever had just walked up in his office and sat down just like that, he would have kicked him before they could even start, but he could not kick him: Cross way stronger than him, he had a frigging gun with him and well… you do not kick the one you have a crush on, right?

"Allen. How is he doing?"

"He's doing amazingly, not that we expected anything else, right?" Tyki said as he gave the elder man Allen's latest assignment. "I didn't know you taught him History." He said.

"That's because I haven't." He replied, dumbfounded.

"You are kidding, right? He wrote things _I_ had to look for… And they were correct! I even sent the paper to the Department's Head."

"He might have picked it form some of the books we've translated over the years."

"Wait, so you two actually have a company?" He asked, blinking: although Allen had been telling him stories and curiosities about the book they always got he thought it was a second mission of the clan they had been given.

"Yeah. I thought you knew."

"I always thought it was the clan who told you to get those book and analyse them." Mikk said and he could feel his cheeks heating up a bit.

"Hell no, those morons don't even know what a book is." The red haired one replied, smirking. "I guess I'll have to ask him about."

"As you please, you are his guardian, not me." Tyki only said. "Was that… all?" He asked rather shyly for being him, but then again, that man brought to light parts of his nature he didn't knew he had.

"Hm… Has he gotten into any trouble lately?" He asked, his eyes still reading the paper. "Are you sure he didn't bully someone to do this?"

"Could be, but I don't think. I mean, I don't he even had to bully someone to do it. He could just go to someone and ask them to do it… And they'd do it without even asking." Tyki replied.

"Damn right. Has he… made any friends? Scratch that, does he _talk_ to someone who is not Wisely or Karma?" He asked and the grey-skinned one blinked: that was the first time he had seen the man worried for Allen's social life. "I saw those other two boys in the entrance waiting for them but…"

"Bookman and Kanda?"

"Bookman?"

"He's the successor. He seems to get along with Allen really well, since the first day, actually. I must say it surprised me greatly." Tyki said, accepting the paper back. "What do you think about it?"

"Well, it certainly is his hand writing and there're no spells in it." Cross said and leaned against the chair, his legs parting slightly and Tyki gulped when his eyes dropped right in the middle of them. "Did you say Kanda?" The younger nodded. "As in Kanda form the Exorcists?"

"That same Kanda. Although he doesn't know much either."

"How do you know?"

"I made Wisely to read his mind, just to make there wasn't anything weird going on." He simply said and then the bell rang. "I gotta go. My class starts in five minutes." Mikk said, reluctantly: he had never had a conversation with the elder and he did not end to wish it.

"And I have a reunion to attend." Cross said, standing up. "You doing something tomorrow night?"

"C-correcting more papers, why?"

"Think you'd find a moment to come by and have that dinner?"

"Yes!" He gasped and blushed even more when the elder looked at him, slightly confused by his reaction.

"It is settled then. 8pm is ok?" Tyki nodded, not trusting his voice. "See you tomorrow, then." He smiled at him and then left.

Cross smiled at _him._ For the first time ever, he was the recipient of a smile coming form that man and it was the best feeling in the fucking world. Forget about killing, this was better.

He looked his schedule and groaned: Allen's group. The damn little sneaky cheating bastard would see right through him!

And see right through him he did. He didn't say anything, but the smirk playing on his lips the whole class made it clear.

"Don't you have another lesson, Allen?" He asked when the boy kept sitting on his chair, legs now propped on the table. Man, Cross had a bigger influence that he thought on him.

"He's not here. Besides, do you really think I care if I have or I don't have a lesson?" Allen said as he ably stood up, walking down to him. "So, Tyki-pet, what did you talk about with Shishō?" He said, now sitting on the Professor's table.

"You. Your stupidly perfect assignment I had to give the Head of the History Department for him to correct because I got lost." He grumbled and Allen giggled. "How the hell do you know so much information about things that happened centuries before your pa… you weren't even conceived?" He asked.

"Read some of it in a couple of books we got a while ago. Though, there's no way you are all this happy-go-lucky with your damned soul smiling like and idiot like it doing right now _if_ you only talked about me and my 'stupidly perfect assignment'." He said.

"He hum… invited to have dinner with you tomorrow." He replied.

"Hm… I guess that means I have my cooking day off!" He exclaimed as he stood up. "Well, see you at night Tyki-pet!" he said as he kissed his cheek softly.

"Where are you going now?" He asked as he saw the boy go to the door.

"Piano rehearsal!" He yelled back.

_That damned boy…_ He shook his head as he stood going back to his office and see if he could understand Allen's paper this time.

* * *

><p><strong>And that's it for today! I hope you'll like it!<strong>

**Please review!**

**PS: Sorry for grammar and spelling errors.**


	7. Chapter 7

"Welcome to my house." Allen said as he opened the door and let Lavi in.

"Wow. You live in here?" He asked after he whistled appreciably at the big house.

"Yeah." He smiled.

"Does someone else live with you in here? Because that sure is big for only two people!"

The music student laughed and shook his head. "No. We are the only ones here, but we both have our private offices, I have my music studio and of course, we have the rooms for the books we purchase or borrow." He said, smiling.

"Who are you talking to, idiot apprentice?" The Bookman clan member looked at the redhead man from that same morning with wide eyes: the man was wearing nothing than a towel wrapped around his waist, his long red mane dripping water.

"It's Lavi, you met him this morning." He replied.

"And what is he doing here?"

"Well, remember how you said we would have trouble onto reading those books we got? I thought he could help us out. In the end, he's a Bookman, he's been trained for that."

Cross nodded and went to a room (Lavi supposed it was his own room) only to come a few seconds later nicely dressed. "I'm going to get someone."

"Whatever. Just don't come _there_." Allen growled.

"Not for the night, idiot. I need to consult someone." The man said and then left.

"Anyway, let's go." He said as he tugged the other boy to a room… locked with the newest, safest and strongest locking device he had seen so far. Allen let the machine scan his retina.

"Wow." He said and Marian-Walker chuckled as he opened the door.

"Welcome to your dream, Lavi."

"Confident much?"

"Of course." He smirked and let the oldest in. "Come here." He brought him to a corner where two books were lying open.

And the red haired couldn't believe his eyes: there, right before him, were two of the most precious books in the history of mankind: the Codex Gigas and the Voynich Manuscript.

"How did you get those? I know they are not able for sale or rent. The clan has been trying to get them for decades, even centuries and they never could!" He exclaimed.

"So, is it or is it not your dream?"

"One of them, yes." He agreed. "Can I touch them?"

"Be my guest."

And touch them he did, his finger tips ran softly through the pages in display, trembling: this truly was the dream of any member of the Bookman clan.

"How did you get them?"

"Pulled a few strings." The younger simply said. "There's one slight problem, though."

"What?"

"You can't tell anyone about it. Not even your guardian or anyone from your clan." Allen said. "We wouldn't want to damage our relationship further with your clan."

"Who? Your company? The Noah clan?" He was confused; it was like the white haired male was talking in riddles, and though he loved them they were starting to unnerve him.

"I'm going to tell you something, but you must promise me not to tell Bookman that I've told you this or he'll have my head. And I like it on my shoulders." He smiled as he sat down on an armchair and signalised Lavi to do the same.

"You know Bookman?"

"Yeah. Since I was a kid, actually." He replied. "Maybe even before you knew him."

"How? I've been with him since I was seven!"

"I met him at five. Anyway, have you ever heard of the cursed clan?"

"A few times at the clan's HQ. Although Panda never told me anything about them besides some stuff like their origin, that they have their own rules and that there are seven top commanders. Why?"

"Well, you just met one of those commanders." He replied, smirking.

"Who?

"Cross. He is one of the highest commanders. Probably the most powerful, too." He said.

"You are kidding."

"No. He really is. Although not thanks to his curse."

"What it's his curse?" Lavi asked and Allen went rigid.

"Sorry, can't tell. It's a secret." He smiled sadly and Lavi nodded, not wanting to push him in doing something he would regret later. "But anyway, I can't tell you more, so, do you wanna try to figure the Manuscript out?"

"Hell yes!" He grinned and went by the book again. "Do you have a key or something?"

"Not yet. We haven't even started." He replied as he went next to him. "Hey, here's an idea, would you like to work with me?"

"In your company?"

"Not exactly, Cross wouldn't like to be working with Bookman again. I meant as my partner, as a consultant, if you want to give it a name." He suggested.

"That would be awesome! Thanks Moyashi!" He said and hugged him tightly.

"Call me that again and you won't see the book again." The younger growled, but he did it playfully. "Main problem here is that Bookman will get suspicious."

"Yeah… And he won't bite a lie, he can see right through me."

"How about we don't lie, then?"

"How?"

"We tell just half of the truth." He simply replied.

"You are a genius!" He said, grinning.

They sat side by side, the book in the middle, both working on a different set of combinations but they still had fun, helping each other. They stopped when Lavi cell phone rang.

"Yes?"

"**Where are you?"** And of course, Bookman didn't sound too happy.

"Allen's house. We are working." He replied.

"**Allen? What Allen?"**

"The one I told you about the other day! White hair, silver eye, strange mark on his face…"

"**Put him on the phone. Now."** Lavi practically shoved the phone to the other boy, who brought to his ear.

"Hey Bookman. How's it going?"

"**What are you doing with him?"**

"We are working on a book Shishō and I got the other day."

"**Which one?"**

"The 'Libellus de Medicinalibus Indorum Herbis'. We got it the other day on a very interesting trade." He replied cooly.

"**I want to see his work everyday. And do not talk about anything unrelated to those books to him, clear?"**

"Crystal, sir. Oh, yes, he's going out tonight with me and some other people."

"**What 'other people'?"**

"Wise, Alma, Kanda, Tyki and maybe Shishō. But I don't think he is really coming."

"**Alright. I want him back at most by two."**

"As you wish! I'll make sure he gets home safe and sound!" He said as he passed the phone back to Lavi.

"What do you mean by that? I'm the oldest! _I_ should be getting _you_ home!" He said as he hung up the call.

"I guess he thinks I'm more responsible than you!" Allen stuck his tongue out and grinned. "Anyway, we should go already if we want to be on time. And I really want to be it for once!"

"Let's go then!" He threw an arm around the shortest male's shoulders and grinned.

* * *

><p>It wasn't long before they both were picking Alma and Kanda up. "Isn't your cousin coming, Moyashi?" Kanda asked when he entered.<p>

"He's coming with Tyki-pet." Allen replied, as he turned left.

"Isn't that the red light district?" Alma asked.

"Yes."

"Is your date with Professor Mikk here?" The boy asked again.

"Yes."

"Isn't that dangerous?"

"Yes."

"Is there any reason of why you would have a date with him in here?" Kanda ended up asking.

"Yes."

"Why?" The Japanese asked again.

"Because we are banned from any casino in the country. A few countries, actually."

"Why is that?" Alma asked, leaning between the front seats.

"You'll see." He said as he pulled in front of a pub and got out of the car.

Once they all were outside of the car Allen walked up to the pub. "Hum… Allen? Are you really having your date with Mikk in here?"

"Yeah. Go in." He hurried them to the door, but they were all stopped by a really large bouncer.

"You can't go in."

"I think we can."

"We don't take care of… first timers." The bouncer replied.

"First of all, they are first times, not me." Everyone around gaped at him, sceptically. "Second of all, we are not here for the girls. Third, get me Mahoja, will you?"

"You know her?"

"And Anita. Does the surname _Marian_ mean anything to you?" He said, smirking.

"You are Mr. Marian's child!"

"Yeah, you could say that. Now, will you let me in or will I have to make you lose your job?"

"Please. I'm sorry about the confusion." He quickly moved and let them in.

"Seriously, how many connections do you have?" Lavi asked.

"Ah well, this was more like using Shishō's status. You see, Anita's mother was one of his lovers. Mahoja works for Anita."

Allen opened a door and the other three gaped at the sight in front of them.

"A brothel?" They said at the same time.

"Yeah. But as I said, we are not here for the girls. C'mon." He pushed through the mass of people, kissing some girl on the way until they arrived at a back door and he opened it.

"A bar?" Lavi said.

"Yeah. Shishō and I usually come here, him to pick someone, me to make some good money." He replied.

"You are a whore?" Alma asked, eyeing him wide out: he would have never thought someone from the cursed clan would do… such activities!

"Hell no. My way of making money is even more dirty and unorthodox."

"You are late, Allen." A voice said from ahead of them and he grinned sheepishly.

"Since when have I ever been on time?" He said as he sat down on a table next to filthy drunken men.

"Hum… Care to explain what's going on?" Lavi asked to the fifth member of their group.

"It's a poker game. They gamble." Wisely replied.

"Gambling? I don't see how that's dirtier than prostitution." Kanda pointed out.

"Oh that. That's because they cheat. I've known Allen since he was five, he started playing at nine. He's never lost since."

"You are kidding." Lavi said, eyeing him: even if he knew there was something dark with Allen and money and the word 'debt', he never thought it would come down to this.

"No. Not even Tyki can beat him. That's how he pays all the debts his master charges on him."

"I'm partly surprised and partly scared at knowing this." Alma admitted, eyeing the boy and shuddering at the sight of his dark smile and his left eye working. "Oh. I see what you mean."

"Not that. That's just a bonus. He doesn't need it." Wisely said as he moved closer to the table and stood behind Tyki.

The other three went to the table too and watched in awe, how Allen won every single hand.

"You could let me win some!" Tyki said, nudging the white haired on the side and the boy chuckled.

"Where's the fun in that?" The youngest around the table asked.

"How about letting your beloved uncle how much you love him?" Tyki said.

"Hm… No. Royal straight flush, by the way." He said as he showed his cards and everyone huffed as Allen collected his money and other wins.

They were about to start the next round, when the door opened and a beautiful Chinese women entered the room.

"Allen, sweetheart!" She said and ran to hug him, being hugged back for the boy.

"Hey you, woman, get out, this is no place for women!" One of the men yelled and Allen stared at him for a second before going next to him, his left hand wrapped around his neck.

"Do you know who this women is? Do you?" He hissed.

"Why should I?"

"Because this woman is the owner of this place and if you don't start talking to her with the respect she deserves, I'm going to cut your hand so you can't play poker anymore… Or maybe your tongue."

"Allen, it's alright." She said, he little hand wrapping around his wrist.

"No, it's not. He shouldn't have talked to you in that way. Besides, Shishō would never forgive me if I let him go away with it."

The trio watched the display in awe: Allen was... scary. And even Kanda would even admit that.

"Allen, sweetheart, it's ok. Mahoja will take care of him." The woman said and just a second later the door slammed open and the biggest women any of them had ever seen, stepped in and took the man Marian-Walker was still holding down and threw him outside. "Anyone else wants to go outside?" The large woman said and all the other men ran away.

"Aw man, how am I supposed to make more money now?" Allen complained as he slumped against the elder male in the room.

"I think you made enough for today." Tyki said and kissed his cheek. "When do you have to be bake, cheating boy?"

"C'mon, you know very well that Cross doesn't give me a curfew." He replied and grinned. "Besides, I still have to pick someone up!" He said as he stood up. "Enjoy yourselves guys!" He said before disappearing back to the brothel.

"Pick someone up? What the hell does he mean by that?" Alma asked.

"Some random guy to fuck this night." Mikk simply said. "Allen grew up between brothels, fights and bars."

"Is that healthy?" Lavi asked, worried about his best friend.

"In any other case I would have said no, but he knows how to handle those things, so it's ok."

"I'm still worried about him." Mahoja said. "I wouldn't want him to end up like Cross, going from lover to lover without never settling down."

"But we can't change him. Or Cross." Anita said. "Besides, I do believe Cross will end up settling down." She said and looked at Mikk, who looked down and blushed slightly.

"Wait, he's gay?" Kanda asked.

"Nah, he's bisexual. He doesn't care about the genre as long as he can fuck it. Just like his master." Wisely said. "So, what do you wanna do?"

"How about we play some?" Lavi said as he pointed the cards. "No bets, though."

"Sounds good enough to me." Alma said as he forced Kanda to sit down.

* * *

><p>They were starting to get the hold of it, when Allen came back in opening the door with so much force that it bounced on the wall and slammed shut, yelling in an unknown language to his phone and being yelled back in the exact same language.<p>

Wisely and Tyki shared a worried glance before the elder stood up and put a hand in his head, but in a matter of a few seconds, Cross was slamming the door open.

_How is that door still standing?_ Kanda thought.

"Allen, the phone." He simply said and the boy gave it too him without much thought.

And then, it was Cross who was speaking in the unknown language. "What is he saying?" Lavi asked Wisely.

"No idea. That's a secret language only they know." The Noah replied. "Oh, and for the record, don't bug Allen much, he's really moody now."

"Yeah… You shouldn't have said that." Lavi said as he pointed at Kanda, who was smirking at that and was exactly doing what the other had said not do.

Three minutes later they met the same fate the drunken man in Mahoja's hands. And arms.

"See what you did, BaKanda?"

"Me? You are the one who threw that whiskey bottle!"

"And for what reason?"

"Because you are a scrawny moyashi!"

At that, Allen jumped at him, and they started to dance… hum, fight again. With Lavi and Alma watching it with their eyes twitching and Wisely… was laughing his ass off. Like seriously, it looked like at any moment he would started rolling on the floor.

"I said we will come when I decide to! You are no one to command _my child_ around!" Marian yelled before throwing the phone against the wall.

Kanda, Alma and Lavi didn't understand why suddenly everything seemed to stop: Cross was rigid, Anita and Mahoja where now silent, Wisely had stopped laughing abruptly, Tyki was gaping at the elder in surprise and Allen was… crying?


	8. Chapter 8

**So here we are again! Hum... well... this chapter is a bit OoC but hell, half the story is, so please enjoy!**

* * *

><p>They stood there, Allen's arms wrapped around his master and his face hidden in the strong chest as Cross stroked his hair softly. The rest just stood there, silent, unmoving.<p>

"Tyki." Came the low rumble and the teacher looked up.

"Yes?"

"Could you bring them home? Allen is in no condition to be driving." He said.

"Sure thing." He said as he stood up. "Let's go." Everyone started to empty the room but when the only ones inside were Cross, Allen and Tyki, the elder stopped the Noah why grabbing his forearm. "Cross?"

"Thank you so much." He smiled gratefully at him and the Portuguese felt his heart flatter and a bit dizzy, because that smile was just for him, not for Allen, but for him. And that just made his night.

"It's no trouble at all. I'm glad to be of help." He replied as he bended and kissed Allen on the head. "Good night."

"Night Tyki-pet." Came the muffled reply.

"Good night, Cross."

"Good night."

He left the room and couldn't help but let a huge grin spread through his face. He was so happy! Cross asked him a favour! When he arrived at the car, the kids were already inside, waiting for him.

"So, are you going to tell us what happened?" Lavi asked, his Bookman curiosity making its presence known.

"It's the first time Cross has called Allen his 'son' or 'child' or something like that in his presence. Or in anyone's presence."

"Wait, you mean he has never acknowledged him as his son?" Alma asked, looking at them, not believing it. "He adopted him!"

"Not really. Don't tell Allen I've told you this or he won't talk to me in his life ever again, but Cross didn't adopt him. He… picked him up."

"From where? An orphanage? A foster home?" Kanda. Kanda was asking. That was surprising. Maybe he didn't handle well his alcohol.

"From the street. Allen was abandoned when he was born, his parents left him on the street, we don't know how he survived, we believe some other hobos might have had taken care of him, either that or he feel himself with food from… you know. Although he might have stolen from people or stores, he's an excellent pickpocket." Tyki explained.

"That explains why I never find my chewing gums anymore." Lavi grumbled and Kanda chuckled.

"But that still doesn't explain why he has never acknowledged him as his son." Alma pointed out.

"That's because when Cross picked him up he only saw him as his pupil, someone who should do whatever he wanted without even asking why. It was like that for maybe three years or so, but in the end Cross started caring about him like a father would and then, when Allen was eleven something happened and Cross started to actually train, teach and openly love him but he never called him that. Then again, he has never called him 'father' or 'dad'."

"Wrong. I'm pretty sure I heard him call Cross 'Daddy' the first day at school." Lavi said.

"Yeah. After we finished our fight." Kanda agreed.

"He says that as a cover." Wisely said. "So people don't know he is not legally adopted. Although I think there's no birth record from him."

"Anyway, this better stays here." Tyki said, turning around. "Alma, Kanda, I'll see you tomorrow. And remember Kanda, I expect a good essay this time. Or I'll have to put you with a tutor." He said and the Japanese growled as he climbed down the car. "OK, Lavi, where to?"

"You know Bury Street? The one by the London library?"

"Yeah." He said and then drove there. "Oh, by the way, give this to Bookman." He said as he gave him an envelope and a packet.

"Is there someone who doesn't know Panda?" He grumbled.

"Probably Kanda. And Alma… Not so sure." Wisely replied.

"Ok, so Allen and Cross know him because Cross is one of high commanders in the curse clan… Don't tell Panda I know that or he'll ground me forever. What does the Noah clan have to do with us?"

"Sorry. We can't tell you that, that's Bookman's job and I'm sure as hell ain't stepping in his ground." Tyki replied. "Here we are."

"Thanks Tyki. I'll see you both tomorrow!" He said as he went to his apartment, where Bookman was of course waiting for him and drinking his beloved green tea. "Hey Jiji, I'm back." He said as he slumped on the sofa.

"How did it go?"

"It was funny to see Professor Mikk cheating at cards. Even more seeing Allen winning every hand. I never thought a guy like him would actually do that." He said and then looked at him. "Professor Mikk gave me this for you." He said as he tossed the packet and the envelope.

"Ah, about time."

"What is it?" He asked, moving so he could take a peek at it.

"This, is for the HQ." He said waving the envelope. "This, is for you." He said and jingled the packet.

"Really? Give me!"

"Not yet. I need the permission of the HQ before I give it to you." He said. "Anyway, something else happened? You are back earlier than I told Marian-Walker to bring you back."

"Oh/ Well, Allen went to pick up some guy, then came back yelling in some weird language, out of nowhere came Mr. Cross, called Allen his child and Allen started crying. And then we left."

"So Marian finally called him that? It was about time."

"How long have you known Mr. Cross?"

"Hm? I met him first time twenty years ago."

"That much?"

"Yes, now go to sleep." Lavi huffed, but did so anyway. "Are you going to the Marian's house tomorrow?"

"Probably, why?"

"I want to see all the progress you make, alright?"

"Yes sir. Good night." He climbed on his bed and stared at the ceiling.

How was he soused to show the progress of a book he wasn't working on? He just hoped Allen had something up the sleeve or both of them were screwed as hell.

* * *

><p>Allen and Cross where still at the brothel, the boy sitting in his master's lap and the elder stroking his long white hair.<p>

"Shishō I…" He choked and went back to hugging him.

"Shh… It's ok, it's ok." He cooed softly. "I'm sorry."

"W-what for?"

"I should have told you sooner, I never treated you like I should have. I never treated you like my son. Because you are. You are my son. Only my son." He said and then kissed his forehead, his lips resting there for some seconds.

"Shishō… I love you." He sobbed and hid his face.

"And I love you too." He stood up and put Allen on the floor and then whipped his tears with his thumbs. "Shall we go home?"

"Y-yes." He smiled brightly at him.

"I'll go tell Anita, just wait here." Allen nodded and waited for just three minutes before Cross was back and they left to their home in just one car.

"What about the other car?"

"I'll come pick it up tomorrow or something." He said. "So, did you have fun?" He asked as he drove.

"Yeah. It's always fun to steal their money. Especially Tyki's." He replied, smiling.

"What about the Bookman kid?"

"Lavi? What about him?"

"How did it go?"

"We started with the Manuscript, we agreed he'd come everyday on the afternoon, probably for an hour or two, he still has his Bookman duties in the end."

"Does the old man know about it?"

"Sort of?"

"What did you tell him?' He could tell that Cross wasn't mad at him, more likely he was amused.

"That we were working on the 'Libellus de Medicinalibus Indorum Herbis' so Lavi can just take some of the translations we already have and bring it to Bookman so he doesn't get suspicious and tries to get the book from us." He told him.

"That's my boy!" Marian said as he threw an arm around his shoulder and pressed him to his side. "You definitely are the best at lying."

"Of course I am, how could I win at poker if I was bad at lying?" He asked and grinned at him. Cross didn't reply he just stared at him. "What?"

"You should smile like this more often." Allen blinked and nodded.

"Hum."

"Let's go to bed already. You have lessons and I need to make a few calls tomorrow morning." He said and kissed his forehead again.

"Good night Shishō."

"Good night idiot apprentice."

As they left to their respective rooms, Allen couldn't help but smile a bit smugly at the memory of how happy-go-lucky Tyki seemed to be when he left the brothel. Not that he really needed to mull why was that, he heard the way Cross had talked to the Noah and he knew how much it meant for him to be treated like an equal, to be _finally_ treated like an equal. Seemed to be some had drugged him…

His thoughts trailed of and left his room, wearing just the pants of his pyjama and the shirt in hand as he burst into his master's bedroom, rushing to his side when he saw him passed out on the floor.

"Shishō!" He yelled as he quickly put him on the bed with a spell and undressed him. "Shishō! Wake up!" He patted the side of his face softly but he only received a pained moan in response. "Shishō please, please." He moved the hair out of his face and pressed his lips on the hot skin. "Please wake up." He muttered.

After a few minutes of muttered pleas, Cross opened his red eye, looking around frantically.

"Allen?" He asked voice agitated.

"I'm here, I'm here." He said as he kissed his hand. "It's ok, I'm here Shishō." He said, grasping the hand tightly. "Tim! Tim! Come here!" He yelled and the monkey came in a few seconds. "Go get some cold water, a piece of cloth and water to drink, yes?" Tim chirped and left.

"Allen." The man said and the boy laid down next to him and hugged him tightly.

"I'm here. Just four days, Shishō. Just four days." He whispered as he cleaned his sweaty face and asked Tim to bring him his cell phone. "Thank you. Go get an orange if you want." The little furry animal went to the kitchen to get an orange and then back to the room where his owner was.

Meanwhile, Allen had moved so he was half lying and he had put Cross head in his lap so he could run a hand through the red mane, softly, soothing. He dialled the number of his other family home and waiting, anxious.

**"Allen!"** A chirpy girl voice said.

"Hey Road. How are you?" He asked.

**"I miss you. You still have to visit me."**

"Sorry. I promise I'll come for dinner next week. Is Tyki-pet around? Or Lulu?"

**"I'll put you with Lulu… Tyki is all hyped up... Did something happened?"**

"Yeah, it did. Thanks Road."

**"Welcome! Lulu! Allen wants to talk to you!"** She said and a few second later Lulu was on the phone. **"Yes?"**

"Hi Lulu. Hum… I need you to cover my absence…"

**"Alright. For how long?"**

"Just four days."

**"Anything else?"**

"Put uncle on the phone?" There was no reply, but that wasn't weird, she wasn't the most talkative of the family. A few minutes later, his uncle was on the phone.

**"Hey Allen, about time you called me."** The man said.

"It would be easier if you weren't all over the world up and down." He said. "You think you could come?"

**"Already?"**

"Yeah. I wasn't expecting yet." He said as he stroked his master's shoulder.

**"How bad is it?"**

"He passed out."

**"I'll be there in 30."**

"Thanks uncle."

**"Anything for you, dear."** And the connexion broke.

* * *

><p>"Is everything ok?" The Earl, the head of the family, asked when he saw the phone going from hand to hand.<p>

"Cross." He only replied and that got Tyki's attention.

"Is he alright?" He asked, preoccupied.

"It seems this time it has struck really bad. I won't be back until it's finished." He said and then looked at the anxious Tyki and smiled softly at him. "He'll be alright, ok? Allen and I will be there all the time, I'll call you and let you know if something happens. And I'm sorry about the dinner, I know you were looking forward to it." Tyki shook his head, last thing he was worried about was having to postpone the dinner. "I'll call you." He repeated.

"Thank you Nea." He said.

"Don't mention it." After that he left.

Out of all the curses he had seen in all his life, he was sure Cross' was one of the worse, because Allen's, even if it was a nuisance and got him into trouble was useful too while Marian's… not at all. His was a curse in all senses, it brought nothing but hurt to him and those around him, which meant, mostly, Allen.

And the worst of all was that there was no way he would get rid of it. Also, that they never knew when it would strike, there were a few symptoms but they were even difficult to catch for someone who was familiar with the situation, and they were never the same.

He had always admired both his nephew and best friend to be able to live like this for so many years without breaking.

_I have to get there as soon as possible_, he though as he speeded up. He would deal with the tickets lately.

* * *

><p>Tyki just stared at his hands, thinking about what had just happened. He didn't know what Cross' curse was about, he didn't know the effect nor why he had been cursed on the first place. The only people who knew what happened to him during the period he was under its influence were the Walkers and both of them were lip-sealed about it, so none of them asked.<p>

He just wanted Marian to be ok.

"He'll be alright, dear." Sheryl said as he sat down next to him, embracing him in one arm. "Allen and Nea know what they are doing." He said and Tyki nodded. "Go to sleep."

"You are not my mother."

"But I'm your older brother." He said and then left, leaving him alone with his thoughts.

* * *

><p><strong>And that's it! Did you like it? Did it solve some of your questions? Or did I cause more questions to be brought up? Please, do tell!<strong>


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